


Sometimes a Curse is Really a Blessing in Disguise

by Valleygirl285



Series: Blessing in Disguise Series [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: De-Aged Sam Winchester, F/M, Family, Gen, Romance, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25701937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valleygirl285/pseuds/Valleygirl285
Summary: Dean and Sam run into Jo when all three are hunting the same witch.  They decide to join forces and work together.  Per normal...hunting witches never go according to plan and when they separate Sam gets cursed by the witch well Dean baby brother is a baby again.  A hunt is a hunt and Jo won't leave Dean and Sam...not until they can break the curse.
Relationships: Jo Harvelle & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Jo Harvelle/Dean Winchester, Sam&Dean
Series: Blessing in Disguise Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019793
Comments: 32
Kudos: 70





	1. I should have went back for her grimoire

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place a short time after Born Under a Bad Sign but Sammy never met the others, never got killed and Dean never made the deal. Sorry folks the Supernatural timeline pretty much ends with "Roadkill" in this story. 
> 
> Anyway I hope people enjoy this one and as always Kudos and Comments are greatly appreciated!!
> 
> Thanks  
> Val

Chapter 1

"Shit...shit...shit!" Dean hissed as he carried/dragged his brother to their car. Jo said she had the house covered and she wasn't kidding when he looked behind to see the blonde rushing towards them as the witches home was engulf in flames.

"Is he alright?" Jo asked as she ran in front of the brothers and opened the back door so that Dean could help Sam inside.

"I think so, I saw her toss him pretty hard, but I don't think he broke anything." Dean huffed as he wrestled his brother into the back seat.

"I knew it was a bad idea to split up." Jo said as grabbed a blanket off the floor of the Impala and covered the younger Winchester.

"Yeah well Sam didn't want to hear it, did he." Dean said in annoyance.

Jo reached out and grabbed Dean's arm. "I heard her chanting."

The other hunter nodded his head and sighed. "I know, me too. Hopefully, it was just something to give her the strength to fight Sammy."

The blonde gave Dean an exasperating eye roll. "I should have went back for her grimoire."

"No way Jo, that place was a tinderbox, we're lucky we all got out. We didn't have time to look through her library." He told her as they both climbed into the front seat of the Impala.

"Did you at least hear what she was chanting?" She asked.

"No, she was whispering. You?"

"No," she said as she turned to look at Sam.

"Let's just get back to the motel and get some rest. I'm sure he's fine."

Jo didn't say anything, she knew Dean didn't believe that any more than he believed the witch was chanting some kind of strength spell. There was nothing they could do until they knew what they were dealing with.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo helped Dean get Sam into their room and into bed. After the other hunter was settled she turned towards his brother. "Do you mind if I take the first shower? I smell like hag and smoke."

"Go ahead," he said with a chuckle. "There was a Mexican restaurant down the road. What do you want?"

"Oh I would kill for beef burrito, rice and re-fried beans."

"Beans...aren't you afraid you'll fart in front of me and ruin the image I have of you." He teased.

"Ha-ha, will you go. I'm starving."

"Okay be back by the time you're done showering."

SPNSPNSPN

"Jo, I'm back." Dean called out.

"Be right out."

He looked up when the bathroom door opened and smile when he saw her come out wearing a pair of sleep pants and an Aerosmith tee shirt...hey that his tee. "Umm Jo, why are you wearing my shirt?"

"Sorry," she said as she grabbed the container with her food. "I realized after you left that I need to do laundry and only have one shirt left which I'll need for tomorrow. Don't worry I'll wash it."

Oh he wasn't worried, he kinda like the way she looked in his shirt. 'Don't go there Winchester. She's a fellow hunter and friend. Not to mention her mother will kill you.' "It's fine." He finally said when he saw the way she was looking at him.

They ate in silence as Jo typed out an email to her mother and Dean checked out his online subscription to Busty Asians Beauties. His eyes shot up from a very busty beauty when he heard Jo belch and it was an honest to God belch.

"Excused me," she murmured as she continued typing her email not the least bit embarrassed much to Dean's chagrin. He found himself closing his web browser and watching the blonde across from him.

Jo looked up when she felt like she was being watched and saw Dean was staring at her. "What's wrong? Do I have food in my teeth?" She asked as she smile wide showing Dean her pearly whites to advise if she had food in her teeth.

Dean laughed. "You're fine Harvelle. I think I'm going to take my shower now." He said as he popped the end of his last taco into his mouth and got up to grab his shaving kit, sweatpants and a tee shirt to sleep in.

Jo watched him as he gathered his stuff and went into the bathroom. Smirking as she waited for the inevitable rant she knew was coming her way. She looked up when Dean stormed out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. "There's no soap or shampoo in this joint!"

"Dean this place pretty much rents by the hour what did you expect. I left my body wash and shampoo in there for you. You'll have to suck it up and use it."

He shot her a dirty look. He wasn't a vain man...not in the sense that he needed special soap and stuff. Hell he usually just used the bar of soap in the motels, including to wash his hair.

"Great, I get to smell like a fruit salad," he grumbled as he stalked back into the bathroom.

Jo chuckled as she looked over to the younger brother. "Oh Sam, we are going to have so much fun teasing your brother over this."

SPNSPNSPN

"Stop sniffing yourself...it's disturbing." Jo huffed as they sat watching the Red Soxs vs Orioles game. "I'm so happy this hunt was in Maryland. It's nice not having to tap into a feed to watch my boys. I'm telling you, this kid Buchholtz is going to throw a no hitter tonight. 07 is the Soxs year. They're going to win it all.

"Probably, especially with Ramirez batting after Papa." Dean said as he took the bag of chips Jo offered him.

"Think this is the final year for Schilling?"

"Yeah, looks like it to me. Besides Becket is their new ace."

"Tell you who they lucked out with is Lowell and Okajima. They were thrown in with those deals, but they really took the team up to another level." Jo said as she took a sip of beer.

Dean couldn't help looking at Jo. Damn if found himself appreciating her more and more. Plus she was an honest to God baseball fanatic and proudly called the Red Soxs players her boys.

"YES!" Jo crowed as the rookie struck out the last batter for the night.

"Damn," Dean whistled. "Don't see rookies throw a no-hitters too often."

They watched the team celebrate as they finished their beers. Jo finally shut the television off during the post-game interviews. "That was amazing. I need to do a hunt in Boston so that I can go to a game."

"Fenway is amazing. Believe it or not my Dad took me and Sammy once." He told her.

"Really?"

Dean nodded. "It was probably only his fourth or fifth hunt. A salt and burn in Quincy. Anyway I was six and Sammy was two. I remember we were driving through Boston and he got turned around because of some road work. Anyway I saw the stadium and asked him what the giant green wall was. I don't know if it was the high from the hunt or what, but he said no son of his wasn't going to know what the green monster was. We ended up staying an extra night and went to a game."

Jo smiled at Dean, "that's a good memory to have." She said. She knew John Winchester wasn't the type of father that spoiled his sons and for Dean to have that memory she was happy for him.

"Yeah it is," Dean agreed softly as he took a swig of his beer. "It's getting late. You can take the other bed; I'll bunk with Sammy."

"Are you sure?" she asked as she stood up. "I don't mind the couch."

"It's fine. Not like we haven't had to share a bed before."

"Okay, good night Dean." She said as she got up and headed over to the other bed.

"Night." He called back as he pulled the covers back to slip into the bed beside his sleeping brother. Reaching out he felt his forehead and sighed in relief when he saw he wasn't running a fever. Maybe they did luck out and tomorrow him and Sammy could have a nice breakfast with Jo before the headed out on their separate hunts.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean frowned in his sleep. When did he fall in a puddle? He thought to himself as he gradually woke up. "What the Hell?" He said as his hand came into contact with wet bedding. "Oh God, Sammy!" He groaned as he turned his head ready to give his brother serious grief for not getting up and pissing in the bed but stopped short when instead of his 6'4 brother lying next to him, there was an infant.

"Oh crap!" he murmured as he carefully got out of the bed and stared down at the baby. He may have only been a toddler the first time around, but he knew that face anywhere. "Oh Sammy."


	2. I really should have gone back for her damn grimoire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out a little more about the impact of the curse...plus some fluffy fun. I hope people enjoy!! Thanks  
> Val

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Spectator_2 for your feedback and thank everyone for the kudos!!

Chapter 2

"Are you sure it's him?" Jo asked as Dean swaddled the infant in a towel from the bathroom.

"Jo, I know my brother." He said as he shot her a look that clearly meant stop asking stupid questions.

"Okay, so that's what she was chanting...a de-aging spell. Dean this is bad. I really should have gone back for her damn grimoire. There are hundreds of version of this type of spell and we didn't catch what she was saying to even begin researching a reversal spell."

"Stop it Jo." He said as he looked over at the other hunter. "You would have died in that fire and this may suck but I can deal with a baby version of Sam any day over you dying in front of me. We'll figure this out. Most likely with her dead it will wear off over time."

"And what do we do until it wears off?" She asked.

Dean sighed. "I take him to Bobby where it's safe."

"We," she said.

"Jo," Dean argued.

"We started this hunt together and we will finish it together." She told him as she held her arms out to take the bundle from Dean. "Now you've been on this ride before. So why don't you get what we need like diapers, clothes and all that other baby stuff. I'll stay here with him."

Dean smiled as he passed Sammy over to Jo. "Good thing I have a new credit card that I can use. There's a Wal-Mart next town over. I'll be back as soon as possible." He told her as he shucked his sweatpants off and pulled on his jeans before sitting down to put on his socks and boots.

"Alright, we'll be fine, huh Sammy." Jo cooed to the infant who reached up to try and grab a hold of her earring that caught his attention. "Oh no you don't mister." She said with a laugh as she slipped her earrings out.

Dean shook his head at them as he grabbed his keys and wallet off the desk and headed out. Things definitely just got interesting.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo placed Sammy back on the bed and surrounded him with pillows. "Now you stay there Buddy while I scrub that sink so that I can give you a bath. You'd like that wouldn't you. Get all that yucky hag odor off of you." She said as she kissed the child on the nose, earning a spit bubble from her charge.

She quickly went to work using the dish soap and scrubbed the old stainless-steel sink in the kitchenette area until it sparkled. Satisfied with her work she scrubbed the stopper and then grabbed her green apple body wash and filled the sink to give Sammy a bath.

"Hey Mr. Man," she said in a sing song voice. "You ready for your bath?" she asked as she unswaddled him from the towel and brought him to the sink. Lowering him slowly into the lukewarm water, giving him a chance to adjust.

She laughed when his eyes widen and then his little legs and arms began to splash the water. "Guess you like it huh," she said as she cradled him so that he didn't hit his head against the sink and used her other hand to wash him gently with a facecloth.

Jo didn't rush the bath and once she finishes washing Sammy's body and hair she played with him for a few minutes. She looked up when she heard the Impala engine drive back into the parking lot and realized that over an hour had passed.

"Come on Bud, let's get you out of this bath and dried off. Your brother should have a nice warm outfit we can put you in." She said as she lifted Sammy out of the bath and brought him over to the bed and wrapped him back up in the towel.

She was using an end of the towel to dry the child's hair as Dean came back into the room with several bags. Dean stopped short when he saw Jo drying his brother. "Did you give him a bath?"

"Well he was pretty grimy from the hunt," she explained.

He nodded his head in agreement. "Thanks. Let’s get him into a diaper before he needs to go again."

"To late," Jo said with a grin.

Dean frown as he looked around the room. Jo saw the man looking and laughed. "Let's just say that as I was getting ready to take him out of the bath the water got a little warmer."

The hunter chuckled as he pulled a diaper out and grabbed the baby powder he had picked up too and joined Jo. "Real classy Sammy, real classy." He teased his brother as he began to put the diaper on the infant.

Jo went over to the bags and looked for an outfit to put Sammy in and smiled when she pulled out a blue onesie with cars on it. She grabbed that and a tiny pair of blue jeans to dress the youngest Winchester. She took out her pocketknife and cut away the tags.

"Here you go," she said as she handed Dean the clothes to put on his brother.

"Thanks, there's a bag over there for you too." he said as he began dressing Sammy.

Jo went over and found the bag and looked at the man questioningly. "You said you only have one shirt left. Normally I would drive through to Bobby's but that ain't happening with an infant so we're going to have to stop and won't have time to do laundry."

She smiled as she pulled out the three tops he had picked up for her and shook her head when she saw a couple of graphic tee shirts too. She lifted a shirt with Janis Joplin on it. "Dean, thank you."

"Figured you needed a couple of shirts to sleep in too." He said as he dressed his brother. "Look why don't you take a shower and get dressed. I'll finish this and give him a bottle. Then we need to pack up and head out."

"Okay but we need to stop because I need some breakfast." She said as she grabbed her stuff and headed into the bathroom.

"Yeah, we can stop on our way out of town." He told her as his stomach grumbled in agreement as he went to slip the onesie on his brother. He stopped short when he looked at his brother's left arm. He lifted his arm to look at it closer earning a whimper from his brother. "Sorry...sorry Baby," he murmured softly and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Oh Sammy," he cried as he lifted his brother and kissed his cheek.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo finished towel drying her hair before brushing it quickly and putting it up in a messy bun before she finished packing her toiletries. When she went back out into the main room Dean was giving Sammy a bottle and humming 'Paperback Writer' to the baby.

"Jo," Dean called out to her.

"Yeah?"

"Sammy doesn't have a smallpox booster shot scar on his arm."

"Okay," she said slightly confused.

Dean looked up, tears in his eyes. "He got it on his six-month birthday. I remember going with my Mom to the doctors. Jo...he's not six months old. That bastard hasn't touched him yet."

Jo sank on the bed next to Dean. "He was born in May, it's September. Do you think he's really only four months old then?"

"Looks like it. Jo we can stop it. We can protect Sammy from that yellow eye bastard." He said.

Jo nodded her head in understanding, her own tears slipping down her cheeks. Maybe this curse was a blessing in disguise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure this has been done before but I hope this was an interest twist that because Sam was de-aged to four months old and since it's prior to his six month birthday then Azazel wouldn't have bleed into his mouth and the clock has been reset for the youngest Winchester.


	3. You’re an ass Winchester; he just took a dump.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ummm the title says it all *wink*. Okay so our little family make their way to Bobby's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for their feedback and Kudos!!! They are the life blood of us fan fic writers.

Dean pulled up in front of Bobby's house as Jo pulled up behind them. They had taken two days to make it from Baltimore to Sioux Falls. He forgot how slow traveling with a baby could be.

He stepped out of the car as Bobby came out his front door. "Bobby," he said as he hugged the older hunter. They both turned when Jo stepped out of her car.

"Jo," Bobby said as he enveloped the young woman in a hug while Dean opened the back door to take Sammy out of his car seat.

Jo smiled as she stepped back and Sammy looked up and grinned at her, holding his arms out towards her. "Yeah...yeah...I know you want to cuddle with Jo." Dean teased as he kissed the baby on the top of his head as he handed him to Jo.

Jo's smile faulted. "You’re an ass Winchester; he just took a dump."

"Hey don't get upset with me that he wants you to change his diaper. Why don't you do that while I grab our stuff."

"Come on Jo, I'll show you where you three are sleeping."

Jo grabbed the diaper bag as she followed Bobby inside and upstairs. "This will be the boys room and yours is across the hall."

Jo couldn't help smiling when she saw that Bobby had found a crib that was already made up as well as a changing table. "Bobby where did you get this stuff?"

"Goodwill in town," he told her as she went over and laid Sammy down.

"It's amazing. Much nicer than the pack and play we've been using the last two nights." She told him as she began to unsnap Sammy's sweatpants. "Okay Mr. Monkey Man...you are not going to reach down and grab any of your poop when I take this diaper off. Is that clear." She said as she leaned forward and rubbed her nose against his.

Bobby got a sniff of what was in the boy's diaper and backed out of the room. "I'll go help Dean."

"COWARD," she shouted as his retreating back before turning back to Sam and going to open the diaper but stopped suddenly and reached into the diaper bag and grabbing a facecloth. "Almost forgot your pee-pee cloth." She said as opened the diaper and quickly placing the cloth over him just as he began peeing as the cool air hit him.

Dean carrying his and Sammy's bags and her duffel slung over his shoulder. "I'm across the hall," she said as he put down their stuff.

"Right," he said as he brought her bag over to her room and placed it on the bed. The last few nights he got use to sharing a room with the blonde and realized he was going to miss having her sleeping in the same room as him.

"Thanks," she said as she walked up behind him.

He turned and frowned, "where's Sammy?"

"He fell asleep again as I was changing his diaper. Never seen anyone fall asleep the way he does. I laid him down in his crib for a nap." She told him as she stepped aside so that he could look across the hall and see his baby brother sleeping in the crib.

"He tuckered himself out pooping," Dean teased.

Jo rolled her eyes as jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm going downstairs."

"Yeah we need to fill Bobby in on everything." Dean agreed as he followed her down.

SPNSPNSPN

"So we have almost two month to protect Sammy from that demon and stop him from slipping his blood to him." Bobby recounted as he handed Jo and Dean a beer.

"Exactly," Dean said as he opened his beer before reaching over and taking Jo's and opening it for her.

"It's like a reset button. We can save him." Jo said as she accepted her beer.

Bobby looked at the two hunters across from him. "But we also don't know how long this spell will last now since the witch is dead."

"As long as it last at until November 3rd that's all we need." Dean argued.

Bobby lifted his beer bottle up. "So we have close to two months to demon proof this place tighter than a drum."

Jo and Dean raised their beers and the three clinked bottle necks in a sign of solidarity.

SPNSPNSPN

November 1st came faster than any of them like. Ellen and Rufus had joined them and had helped prepared everything. They were going to help Bobby keep watch as Dean and Jo would stay with Sammy down in Bobby's panic room. They had drawn ever anti-demon sigil they knew to protect Sammy.

Jo finished giving Sammy his bath and had even used face paints to draw several anti-possession sigil on the child too. Dean walked up behind Jo as she finished putting Sammy in his pajamas and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You ready?"

She looked up and saw that it was 11:45 PM...15 minutes to November 2nd. "Ready," she said as she lifted Sammy into her arms and hugged him close to her body. She followed Dean downstairs and smiled when she saw her Mom, Bobby and Rufus doing a final check of their weapons.

"We're heading down now. We won't come out until 12:01 AM on the 3rd." Dean said somberly. The other three hunters nodded their heads. They had agreed that Dean and Jo would stay with Sammy and that they would cut off all contact with them. That was Bobby's one demand.

He told Dean point blank their weak point was him and his unwavering need to protect everyone and if he heard them say they needed help he would be the first one to break rank and possibly put Sammy in danger.

This had pissed Dean off, but Jo had asked him to take a walk with her and eventually she convinced him Bobby had Sammy's best interest at heart. Not to mention that no matter what Sammy needed Dean more than anyone else. As much as he hated being away from the action he finally agreed,

Ellen walked over to her daughter and enveloped her and Sam in hug. "You be careful Mom."

"You too...protect this little one."

"I will," she said as she kissed her mother's cheek.

Ellen pulled Dean in for a hug and reminded him of his promise. Ellen had asked to speak to Dean earlier that day. The older woman had begged Dean to swear that he would take care of Jo if she didn't make it. To be there for her daughter. He promised he would be there for her no matter what and that Ellen didn't even need to ask him.

Dean and Jo wished Bobby and Rufus good luck as they exchange hugs with the older men. Jo handed Sammy to Bobby who hugged the infant close and kissed the top of his head. "We've got you covered Little Man." The gruff hunter said before passing the child back to Jo.

Jo, Dean and Sammy made their way down to the panic room. Jo and Ellen had taken charge of this part of the plan and Dean had to admit he was pretty happy with the things they had come up with even though they had to fight Bobby tooth and nail for the changes.

They had pulled out the army cots and Jo had found a secondhand daybed with trundle and mattresses from the Goodwill store. So not only did it give them a place to nap but with all the pillows it was doubling as a couch too.

Ellen had taken one look and when she came into to the room the first time and asked point blank where they were supposed to go the bathroom. Bobby had shrugged his shoulders and said he had an old camping commode which Jo immediately balked against and honestly Dean wasn't that fond of that idea either. It was Rufus who suggested a camping flushable toilet with a dual tank. It would cost a few hundred bucks, but Jo said she didn't care how much it cost, she would pay for it.

Jo had gone with Rufus to the RV store and had picked up the toilette, a camping stove, four cans of butane gas, a portable blow up sink and a couple of camping chairs. They had made sure they had plenty of water and food for the three of them.

There was a folding bridge table in the corner behind where Sammy's portable 3 in 1 playpen, bassinet and changing table was set up. She had made sure to bring all of Sammy's favorite 'buddies' aka stuff animals and toys. She had brought a couple of games, cards and a 500-piece puzzle of Fenway Park.

Dean had argued that Jo was doing too much but she finally sighed and asked him if he really wanted to be stuck in an enclosed space with an infant and her for 24 hours with nothing but two old wooden chairs and an army cot for furniture and no form of entertainment to keep them busy.

He knew she was right; they would kill each other after an hour if they had nothing to occupy themselves. Dean had gave her a lecherous grin and said there were other fun ways to keep themselves busy which just earned him a slap on the back of his head.

"This is it," Dean said as they stepped into the room.

"This is it," Jo agreed as she looked up and they shared a strain smile. She carried Sammy into the room and turned when she heard Dean swinging the heavy steel door closed and watched as he turned the large wheel in the middle sealing them into the room for the next 24 hours.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know I did a lot down in the panic room but seriously the girl in me couldn't stick Jo in there for 24 hours without the comforts of home...especially a 'flushable' toilet. I love Dean but I would never subject any girl from having to share a regular commode with him for 24 hours...ewww gross.


	4. You're giving me etiquette lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean, Jo and a baby named Sammy spending time together in Bobby's panic room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the feedback and Kudos!!! I hope people enjoy this next part. Kinda short and hopefully sweet 😊. 
> 
> Thanks  
> Val

Chapter 4

Dean watched as Jo finished changing Sammy's diaper and slipped him back into his sleeper before placing him back into the bassinet.

"Come on Jo, we should get some sleep." Dean said as he went over to the daybed and tossed the extra pillows on the floor. Before he bent down and pulled out the trundle and pushed it to the side so that it formed an L shape before pressing down on the release and the bed popped up.

"Guess we should get some rest. We have a long day and night ahead of us." She agreed as she pulled back the covers and slipped into the day bed as Dean dimmed the lights before he climbed into the other bed.

Jo turned letting her eyes adjust to the semi-darkest and could see that Dean was also laying on his side. She propped herself up slightly on her hand. "Can I ask you something Dean?"

"Sure," he said as he propped himself up the same way.

"What will you do after this?"

"You mean about Sam?"

"I'm sorry it's just that we don't know how long the curse will last."

Dean sighed; he had been thinking about just that for the past two months. "Yeah this could last for another day, week, month, year or who know maybe this curse won't fade and he will grow up all over again."

"And?" Jo asked softly.

"And I spoke to Bobby and I'm staying. Sammy hated growing up on the road with Dad hunting. So no matter how long this last, even if it's long term then I'm going to raise him the way he deserves."

Jo smiled. "He's lucky to have you for a broth...for a Daddy."

Dean gulped at Jo referring to him as Daddy. "You don't think it's weird?"

"No why would I think you loving Sammy enough to raise him as your child is weird. I think it's wonderful and I think it will be good for both of you."

Dean smiled to himself at her words. "What about you? I know you've put hunting on hold but after this I know you need to start out again."

"Oh...well..." Jo stammered. A part of her was itching to get back out hunting but it surprised her how little that itch was.

"Jo, you've been amazing. I know you said you would stay until this curse ends but I can't let you put your life on hold indefinitely. You need to get back out there and live your life." He told her softly.

"Right, of course." Jo murmured, her heart breaking at Dean's words. "Good night Dean."

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat at the sound of the catch in Jo's voice. He watched as she laid back down and rolled over so that her back was to him. He closed his eyes when he heard her take a shaky breath.

'Screw it,' he thought to himself as he pushed back his cover and got out of his bed and took the few steps to where Jo laid. Licking his lips he lifted her bedding and slowly slid in next to her. "Jo," he murmured as he rested his hand on her shoulder.

She took a few deep breaths before she turned over so that she was facing Dean. He saw the tear tracks on her cheeks. Reaching up he gently wiped her tears with his thumb. "Talk to me."

Jo looked up into Dean's eyes and saw the concern there. "I'm not ready to leave him." She finally said.

Dean's heart thump in his chest at her declaration and found himself asking in a hush whisper, "just him?"

Jo looked up into Dean's eyes as she shook her head slowly. That was all the encouragement Dean needed as he lowered his head and finally kissed the woman beside him.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo woke up when she heard Sammy babbling and couldn't help smiling. Dean's arm was wrapped around her stomach as he spooned her from behind. Gently she lifted his arm so that she could slip out of the bed.

She reached down and grabbed Dean's discarded tee shirt off the floor and slipped it on before heading over to the bassinet. "Hey Mr. Monkey Man, did you sleep well?" She cooed as she lifted Sammy up and kissed his cheek before laying him down on the changing table to put him in a dry diaper.

"Your Daddy is a heavy sleeper," she murmured as she carried Sammy over to the section they had set up as a mini kitchen area and began making his morning bottle.

"Well somebody wore me out," Dean mumbled with a grin as he stood up and stretched.

Jo smirked at him. "You're Daddy's not shy either." She teased as she took in his nude form as he strolled over to her. "Good thing I talked Bobby out of the CCTV he wanted to set up down here or you would be giving quite the show."

"Ha-ha...funny." Dean said as he brushed a kiss on Sammy's forehead before dropping a kiss on Jo's cheek. She shook her head as he moved over and slipped behind the curtain where the toilet was and took care of his morning needs. He heard rustling and saw a pair of boxers, jeans and tee shirt suddenly appear on the floor beside him. "Can't keep your hands off of me huh," he teased as he took the items and quickly dressed.

When he came back out he saw Jo was finish making Sammy's bottle. "I'll feed him if you want to get dressed." He offered as he held his arms out for the child.

"Thanks," Jo said as she passed the baby to Dean before going over and grabbing the clothes she had brought down yesterday before going to take care of her own morning needs. She used several baby wipes to take a creative sponge bath before dressing.

When she came back out she smiled as Dean was humming to Sammy as he fed him his bottle. Walking over she quickly made both beds before lowering the trundle and locking it place before pushing it under the daybed.

She finished as Dean put the bottle down and lifted the baby to rest against his shoulder as he patted his back and earned two fairly decent burps. "That's my boy," he said with a chuckle.

"If you want I can make eggs for breakfast." She offered as she went over to where the food was stored.

"I'll put him in his playpen and set up the camping stove for you." He told her as he removed the bassinet and changing table from the playpen and sat Sammy down and gave him his favorite stuff bear.

Soon the young couple were sitting at the bridge table that Dean had set up while Jo cooked the eggs and a ham steak. "We should make sure the weapons are ready in case we need them later." Jo said as she scooped some eggs onto her fork.

"Yeah, I also want to put down a second salt ring too." Dean agreed as he popped his last piece of ham into his mouth.

They finished their breakfast and the list of chores they needed to do to prepare to protect Sam from the demon.

SPNSPNSPN

"I can't believe I'm bored enough to do this," Dean grumbled as he slapped Jo's hand. "I told you, you have to do the edges first."

"You slap my hand one more time Dean Winchester, I'm going to stab you." She huffed.

"Well if you want to do this puzzle then you need to do it right." He told her.

They had finished their chores quicker than either anticipated and now they were trying to keep busy. Sammy was sitting on a blanket playing with several toys as Jo began working on her puzzle. She was shocked when Dean not only came over to work on the puzzle with her but had decided he was in charge.

Jo sighed as she looked at her watch and groaned. "Oh crap it's only 8:30...we have over 15 hours to go in here."

"Yeah, so?" Dean ask as he battered her hand again when she deviated from his instructions.

"So...I'm not sure I'm going to make it without killing you." She hissed through clenched teeth.

SPNSPNSPN

"Told you that would be more fun than the puzzle." Dean said with a grin as he and Jo put their clothes back on.

"Well we can't keep putting Sammy down for a nap every time you want to have sex."

"Yeah but it's a great way to kill some time...so what time is it anyway?"

Jo looked at her watch and laughed. "Sorry Tiger but you didn't kill that much time, it's only 9:15 and I only got Sammy down twenty minutes ago."

"Oh Hell, I say we go again then." He said as he began pushing his pants down.

"Why not," Jo said with a grin as she began taking her shirt off.

SPNSPNSPN

"Oh my God, close your mouth!" Dean griped as Jo munched on a family size bag of Doritos.

"You're giving me etiquette lessons," she teased as she deliberately chewed even louder.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean smiled as he watched Jo sitting on the daybed with Sammy in her lap as she began singing to him.

"Trot-trot to Boston. Trot- trot to Lynn. Look out little Sammy. You might fall in!" She sang as opened her legs so that he dropped slightly between them causing the child to giggle happily.

"Trot-trot to Boston. Trot-trot to Town. Look out little Sammy. You might fall down!" Jo continued as she let the laughing baby fall backwards onto her lap.

"Trot-trot to Boston. Trot-trot to Dover. Look out little Sammy. You might fall over!" She finished with a flourish as she cradled him enough so that she could swing the baby side by side.

He wished he could bottle this moment up. For the first time in years Dean had hope...actually honest to God hope. Hope that he could save his brother and hope of carving out some kind of apple pie life with the blonde in front of him.

TBC


	5. He's trying to break the seals to get to Sammy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showdown between our favorite hunters and Azazel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously thank you everyone for your feedback and Kudos!! Honestly I know some may not like this chapter but I explained my thought process in the note at the end of the chapter. Also it was brought to my attention that Jo is OCC in this story. Personally I think Dean, Sam and Jo are all 'broken' in a way and need to learn to balance a life with hunting. At least in my little fan fic world.

Chapter 5

Jo sighed as she looked at the clock. The day finally turned into night and it was now closing in on midnight. Her breath quicken when she felt the first quake.

"He's trying to break the seals to get to Sammy." Dean cried.

Jo turned when she heard the infant begin crying and quickly lifted him up and cuddled him close. "It's okay Baby, I've got you," she murmured softly. She looked around as the quakes intensified and caused cracks in the walls and breaking the wards.

Dean shot a look at Jo and Sam before turning his attention to the steel door as it began to buckle. "He broke all the seals." He shouted at Jo as the door went flying backwards.

Jo gulped as she held Sammy closer, praying that the anti-possession sigils that she had painted on the child would help ward off the demon.

"Well...well...well...so some bitch put a curse on my favorite and turned back the clock for him. Don't worry, after I juice the little fella up I can break that curse and get everything back on track." The demon taunted Dean.

"Over my dead body!" Dean shouted as he raised his rifle.

"Okay," he said with a grin as he flick his wrist and Jo watched in horror as Dean's neck snapped unnaturally and Dean fell to the ground. She barely registered her Mom, Bobby and Rufus running into the room.

"JO...DOWN!" Her mother shouted as they all raised their weapons and began firing at the demon.

Jo got down and cover Sam with her body as she stared at Dean's lifeless corpse. She heard the rifles shooting round after round into the demon and the grunts of the others being tossed around. Jo prayed as she scooted farther away, 'please Lord, please. I can't lose Sammy too. I can't lose my child.'

She looked up with tears streaming down her face when suddenly the room went quiet and knew that the others had fallen as the demon stood over her. "Oh I do like them young and blonde Sweetheart," he taunted.

"You can't have him," Jo said as she slowly got to her feet.

"I can and I will," he told her as he stepped closer. Jo reached behind her back and pulled out her pistol much to the demon's amusement. "Oh Sweetheart, you trying to turn me on."

Jo cocked the gun in her hand and hissed, "I'm going to send you back to Hell."

"Only one gun can do that," he taunted as he nodded his head towards the weapon. "And that pee-shooter ain't it. I'm feeling generous. You give me Sam and I'll bring them all back. One baby for four people you love. That's a pretty good deal, you should take it."

"I won't let you damn him. I'm sorry Dean...it's the only way I can save him." Jo cried as she looked down at Dean. " "I love you Sammy. God please forgive me." she whispered as she turned the gun towards the infant, knowing now that she was never going to beat the demon and that she needed to save Sammy's soul. She would never let the demon damn him to Hell.

Suddenly the room was bath in blinding white light as all the glass began to shatter. Jo dropped the gun as she crouched down as she tucked Sam close to try and protect him from the glass. They both screamed at the high pitch sound that suddenly filled the room.

She winced as she looked up and saw a man appear out of nowhere. She watched as he stood before the demon and gasped when they both began to attack each other in hand to hand combat. As quickly as it started it ended when the man flip Yellow Eyes onto the ground.

Jo's eyes widen in terror when the man reached out and put the palm of his hand on the demon's forehead and a light suddenly rose from within the demon as he screamed in agony as the light shone up and through his mouth and eyes. She began to hyperventilate when the carcass fell to the ground and she saw his eyes were burned out.

"Oh God...oh God...oh God," Jo chanted as she looked around for a weapon to use against this new demon.

"I am not a demon Joanne," the man said in a soft voice. "My name is Castiel and I am an angel of our Lord."

Jo began to shake uncontrollable as the events of the night caught up with her. Her eyes sweeping the room from Bobby's body to Rufus's body then to her Mom's and finally they landed on Dean's lifeless corpse and she sank to the ground sobbing.

Castiel cocked his head to the side as he watched the woman before him. He reached down lifting Jo and Sam into his arms and sat her gently on the bed. "Joanna, our Lord heard you prayers. He saw your unconditionally love for the child. He saw the unconditional love you all have for this child."

Jo looked up at the angel and then back down to Sam. "His soul?" She asked.

"His soul is pure. He will not be damn to Hell." He told her.

Jo closed her eyes as she hugged Sam to her chest. "Why? Why didn't you come sooner?"

"I came when I was sent. My father heard you prayer and sent me."

"The others," she cried.

The angel looked around at the fallen hunters. "They sacrificed themselves for the child. They loved him unconditionally, but it is not their time. They still have work to do." He told her as went over and knelt down by Dean and placed his hand on his chest.

Jo watched as a light glowed from within Dean's body and gasped when she saw Dean's eyes flutter open. Castiel didn't say anything as he repeated the process with Bobby, Rufus and her Mom. She watched as her family all slowly began to open their eyes.

Dean looked at the man in the trench coat as he went over to the demon's empty shell, running his hand over it and watched as the body turned to ash. He slowly sat up and looked around, swallowing as his eyes finally fell on Jo and Sammy.

"Jo," he gasped as he held his arms towards them. Jo held baby Sammy close as scrambled off the bed and rushed over to the man a few feet away. She cried as Dean wrapped his arms around them and peppered both hers and Sammy faces with kisses.

Looking over her shoulders she watched as Bobby helped her mother stand up. "Take Sammy," she whispered as her eyes locked with her Mom's. Standing up she met the older woman halfway as they grabbed onto each other.

"We need to get out of here now," Bobby gasped as he pulled Dean and Sammy up. "The house isn't safe...he rocked it to the very foundation to brake the sigils, including the ones in here."

Dean nodded his head as the hunters quickly made their way upstairs and outside. They all stared at the Bobby's house. Dean swallowed the giant lump in his throat at the only home he has known since the night of the fire that claimed his mother all those years ago swayed before him. It was going to collapse and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

He saw him out of the corner of his eyes, the demon in the trench coat. He wordlessly handed Sammy to Bobby before he charged the bastard. He only stopped when Jo screamed his name.

"Dean! No! He's not a demon!" She shouted as stood between Dean and the man.

Dean stared at her in disbelief. "Only a demon could do what he did Jo!" He argued as he went to push her aside.

"I am not a demon Dean Winchester. I am an angel of the Lord and I was sent to keep Samuel safe."

"An angel...right. Jo he's a demon. There's no such thing as angels." He said as he heard Ellen and Rufus cocking their riffles as they stood on either side of them.

"He's right Jo, angels aren't real. He's another demon." Her mother said as she shot a look at her daughter.

The angel shook his head sadly as he flicked his wrist and the weapons the hunters had trained on him disappeared before he lifted his hands towards Bobby's house and they watched as a white blazing light engulf the building before he announced, "the structure is safe now."

Bobby stared at his home and shook his head. "Son of a bitch...it looks like it did when I bought it." He said as he realized that where the roof sagged before was now straight and he could make out that the two front porch steps that were broken before and you had to step around were fixed too.

He didn't have to step inside to know that all the things he had let slip into disrepair were now fix. Whatever this thing was hadn't just fix what the demon had done, he had restored the house to what it looked like when Karen was alive.

"He's an angel," Jo said as she stood beside Castiel. "What demon would do what he just did? None. I prayed and God sent Castiel to help us."

Dean shook his head in disbelief but shut his mouth when he heard Sam crying. Turning he took the baby from Bobby. "Shhh, Daddy's got you." He murmured causing Bobby, Ellen and Rufus to look at him in shock that he just referred to himself as Daddy.

"Why don't we take this inside?" Bobby said as he leaned forward and whispered to Dean. "The sigils will still be there; we'll know his story soon enough."

Dean looked at Bobby and realized he was right. No demon could just walk into Bobby's with all the sigils they had put up. Then he would be able to reason with Jo that this newest player wasn't an angel and figure out what he's up to.

"Right," he agreed as he watch Jo drift over towards this Castiel and took his hand in hers. He fought the urge to pull her away from that thing but knew if he pushed it Jo would dig her heels in. He knew she was just as stubborn as him.

They all walked into the house and Dean turned as Jo and Castiel brought up the rear. He watched carefully as Castiel stood at the entrance and studied the home. He heard Bobby snort behind him that this demon's game was up.

That snort quickly became a gasp as the man in the trench coat walked into the house, right pass the devil trap painted in the ceiling. The man turned cool blue eyes onto Dean and Bobby. "I am not a demon; these sigils are meaningless to me."

Jo rolled her eyes as she released Castiel's hand and went to Dean. "He's not lying to us," she said as she reached up to run her hand lovingly over Sammy's head.

Dean looked into Jo's eyes before looking over her shoulder to the newcomer. "Take Sammy," he said softly as he handed her the fussy child before lowering his head and kissing her.

Jo grinned when she heard her mother clear her throat and rolled her eyes when she heard Rufus mumble to the elder Harvelle, "like you didn't see that happening. Did you really think they were going to put a puzzle together while they were locked in that damn room."

The young blonde turned at the older hunters and shook her head as if to say 'not the time' before she went and sat in the rocking chair. Soon between the rocking and the soft humming Sammy fell asleep in her arms.

Dean sighed at the sight of Jo with Sammy in her arms, rocking him asleep and was shocked when the first thought that came into his mind was that he wanted more children with this woman.

He forced himself to turn his attention towards the thing that had went and stood by Jo. "Okay say I believe you're an angel. Where have you been the past twenty-three years, huh? Why wait until now to help? Why not the first time Sammy was six months old? Where were you when that bastard killed my Mom...forced my Dad into a deal...a deal that sent him to Hell for me! Why didn't you come before?" He hissed angrily.

The angel cocked his head as he studied Dean. "My Father sent me to answer Jo's prayers. She was the one who realized what was truly sacred, the child's soul. She was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his soul and my Father saw this unconditional love and rewarded her love."

"Sacrifice?" Jo asked in confusion.

Castiel turned and looked down at the blonde huntress and the sleeping child. "You were the only one willing to do what would have needed to be done to save Samuel's soul. When you realized that you had lost the battle against Azazel you were willing to damn yourself to Hell and save Samuel's soul before that demon could taint it and deny Samuel's entrance to Heaven."

"You were going to make a deal?" Dean asked.

Jo shook her head, swallowing as she didn't know how Dean would react to what she had been willing to do to Sam. "No...I..." she stammered, unable to bring herself to say the words but she didn't need to as Bobby placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"You knew you were defeated, that you weren't going to make it and you wouldn't leave Sammy to be taken and used by that bastard. You were going to kill him before he could be taken." Bobby reasoned.

Jo nodded her head as silent tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Dean, I'm so sorry." She murmured as he stared slack jaw at her after digesting what Bobby had just said.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright I know Jo has never discussed her beliefs as far as her faith is concern but if Sam could pray then why not Jo. I always found it amusing that Dean and the others could accept demons no problem but didn't believe in a higher being (and no I don't mean the Chuck we've had to watch the past few years).
> 
> My other problem has always been why hasn't anyone ever afraid for Sam's soul, he literally had demon blood flowing through him. So I needed somebody to worry about Azazel sealing Sam's fate to an eternity in Hell and I think Jo in her own way was the only one not completely jaded by hunting at this point to worry about this.
> 
> I know Jo wasn't a great hunter, especially at this time but she was always logically and she would have known that they lost once she saw how powerful Azazel was and the others had fallen, plus it was always going to be a losing battle since they didn't have the Colt and that is the only thing that could kill him.
> 
> I could see Jo weighing the options (and there was no winning option here) and chose to save Sam's soul and not let Azazel damn him to Hell. That she was choosing to set Sam free so that he could go to Heaven and she would go to Hell basically for him by killing an innocent. That this act unconditionally love would prompted God to actually chose to help and sent Castiel them.
> 
> Okay I realize people probable don't like this turn but I wanted to at least explain where I was coming from.


	6. “I’ve got you Sammy…I’ve got you.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some secrets to be revealed and a decision needs to be made....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the feedback and Kudos on this story!!! I actually finished the story last night so I'm going to try and post a chapter every couple of days. Thank you again and I hope you like the next part.

Chapter 6

"You were going to kill him?" Dean asked in horror.

"You had all fallen and I knew I wasn't going to beat him; we didn’t have the Colt. He offered me a deal, Sammy for your lives. I wouldn't do it; I would never let that bastard get his hands on Sammy again. We lost the battle Dean and all I could do to protect Sammy was to save him from being damn to Hell for eternity." She explained.

The elder Winchester swallowed before he turned to the angel. "Your Father...God...sent you when he saw that Jo was willing to kill an innocent baby. How fucked up are you bastards?".

"My Father gave you a miracle. He allowed the curse to continue, to give you and the others a chance to save Samuel and he sent me here to answer Joanna's prayer when you lost the battle against Azazel. Samuel soul is now untainted, he will not be forsaken when he dies."

Dean glared at the angel. "So you're saying that God was just sitting on his ass and not doing anything over the past two months and just waited until the demon killed us and Jo was forced to consider murdering Sammy before sending an angel hit-man a blessing." He hissed sarcastically.

"You are under the false assumption that you know everything behind Azazel and why he chose Samuel." The angel said.

Dean frowned, "what the Hell does that mean? Your Father let that bastard bleed into my brother mouth...into other children mouths. He let him kill my mother...my mother who had never done anything to anyone. What more do I need to know, huh?"

Castiel tilted his head as he study Dean before he reached out and touch his forehead. Jo gasped as she saw Dean's eyes roll back before he collapsed.

"Dean," Bobby shouted as he crouched down beside his 'boy' and felt for a pulse.

"Bobby?" Jo asked anxiously as she stood up quickly, waking Sammy who began to cry.

Castiel walked over to Jo. "Dean is fine. He is seeing the truth now. Console Samuel."

"What do you mean seeing the truth?" Ellen asked as she knelt down on the other side of the fallen hunter as Rufus stood behind her.

"Look at his eyes," Rufus said as he placed a hand on Ellen's shoulder.

Bobby frowned as he looked at Dean's eyes and the way they were moving under the closed lids. "It's like he's in some kind of a deep REM sleep."

"What have you done to him?" Jo hissed as she looked up at the angel.

"He is seeing the past...the truth about his family. Seeing the truth so that he can accept that the curse the witch placed on Samuel, the curse my Father has decided to allow to continue is not a punishment."

Sam cried pitifully as Jo rocked him gently in her arms, kissing him gently on his forehead and whispering words of love. Ellen stood by her daughter. "I can take him," the older woman offered.

Jo shook her head, she needed to hold Sam...to be close to him. "I've got him Mom."

"Yes you do," Ellen said as the realization hit her. Her daughter was protecting and comforting 'her child'. She may not have said it out loud yet, but Sammy was just as much her 'son' as Dean's.

Earlier when Dean told a crying Sammy that Daddy had him, it had surprised Ellen, but it made sense. Dean and Sam didn't have happy childhoods. John Winchester raised them like soldiers more than as sons. She never doubted the elder Winchester loved his boys...he just didn't know how to balance being a Daddy with teaching them about hunting.

She could see it, Dean wanted to give Sammy the childhood he had tried to give him when he was child himself. She remember John calling Dean from the Roadhouse once...asking him if he had remembered to put the salt lines down before tucking his little brother in.

She remember John berating the child that putting down those salt lines were more important than Dean reading a bedtime story to Sammy. Dean couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 at the time so Sam had to be about 4 or 5. She remembered Bill putting a hand on her arm when she went to call him a jackass.

Maybe this Castiel was right, this curse was a blessing...maybe Sammy can finally be given the childhood he deserves, and Dean can shower all the love and affection he has for his brother without his father reproachful attitude that affection only made them weak.

Ellen could see it too...that her Jo had made herself Sam surrogate mother. She could also see that Dean and Jo had finally taken the next step in their relationship. She knew it was bound to happen; it was only a matter of time.

What would probably surprise the young couple was that Ellen approved of their relationship because it grew from being hunting allies...to friends...to falling in love. It amused her how neither had realized how their feeling for each other had grown over the past two months.

After what seemed to be an eternity Dean's eyes flew open as he looked around frantically. His eyes finally settling on his brother as Bobby helped him stand up. He turned and looked at Castiel, tears threatening to spill.

"She made a deal?" He asked miserable.

"I am sorry Dean, but you needed to know…to understand. Your mother had free will and made her choice…a choice that damned Samuel soul and both your lives . Due to this curse and Azazel being stopped, the part of the deal that damn Samuel's soul to Hell has been altered."

Dean nodded his head resolved that he truly didn't know everything about his family that he thought he knew. His mother was a hunter…Hell her whole family were hunters. Azazel had killed his father and grandparents. His mother…the woman he longed for…that he loved unconditionally…she made a deal with the demon who killed them to bring his father back. She tipped over the first domino that started it all.

"How much longer will he remain a baby?" Dean asked.

Castiel cocked his head as he looked at the hunter. "The curse can be broken tonight if that is what you want."

"Or?" Dean said as he gazed at his brother.

The angel could see it, the man's desire. "Or you could give Samuel the life you always wanted him to have but couldn't since you were a child yourself. It's up to you, do you want your brother back as before or will you give him the childhood he deserves?"

"I don't know. I want to do what’s right for Sam, but I don’t know if it’s my place to make this decision for him." He confessed. A part of him wanted this chance. To give Sam the childhood he deserve but was keeping him as a child being selfish?

"You can ask Samuel yourself," Castiel said.

Dean looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Samuel's mind is still there Dean, he may not be able to say the words out loud, but I can bring you into his mind where you may speak with him."

The hunter looked at his brother in Jo's arms and nodded his head. He knew he was more than willing to hang up his guns and raise Sammy as his son if that's what his brother wanted. "Do it," he said.

"You will need to lay down and hold Samuel close to you."

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat as he walked over to Jo and Sam. He gave her a tentative smile as he held his arms out for his little brother. Jo kissed the top of Sammy's head before she passed him to Dean.

The hunter looked at his sleeping brother and smiled. "Okay squirt...you better not be thinking about sex when I get in there or anything weird." He said as he made his way over to Bobby's couch and laid down with Sammy settled on his chest.

The others watched as Castiel went over and placed a finger on both Winchesters foreheads as Dean's eyes slid close.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean looked around; they were in a park. He smiled as he watch Jo sitting at the top of the slide with Sammy in her lap. "Ready Mr. Monkey Man?" she cooed as Dean stood at the bottom waiting for them with a giant grin on his face. They had brought him to the park last week and Sam was remembering it.

"She's a great Mom," his brother's deep baritone voice said as he stood next to him.

"Sam," Dean said as he turned to look at his brother.

"Hey Dean," the younger Winchester said as his brother pulled him in for a tight hug.

They pulled apart when they heard the high pitch giggle from Jo and the infant in her arms as they came down the slide together.

"Have you been conscious the whole time?" Dean asked.

"Let's sit down," Sam said as he guided his brother towards the bench behind them.

"Sam," Dean urged. He needed to know they hadn't hurt him.

The younger hunter nodded his head. "At first it was terrifying...and embarrassing, especially when Jo gave me a bath that first morning but those feeling quickly disappeared. I felt loved in a way that felt right and I stopped trying to figure out how I could talk to you because I was happy."

Dean smiled at that, "Sam you've always been loved but I think I understand what you mean."

"He's gone, that bastard who killed Mom and Jess is gone. I saw Castiel kill him."

"You saw everything that happened in the panic room?"

Sam nodded his head sadly, "I did. When I saw him snap your neck," he said, his voice thick with emotions. "And then I saw the others being killed...but I was with Jo and I felt safe. I could feel the love she has for me practically vibrating off of her. She was willing to spend eternity in Hell so that I wouldn’t be deny into Heaven."

"I know, she told us." Dean said softly as he looked over to the memory Sam was reliving. Jo and he were sitting on a blanket together and the blonde huntress was playing a game of peek a boo with his brother.

"This Castiel Sam, he's an angel."

"I know...he's visited before."

"What?"

Sam smiled at his brother. "He's come into our room while you were asleep. He would comfort me if I was sad or upset. I think he wanted to act sooner but he had to give you and the others the chance to stop the demon, but I never doubted that God would send him if we prayed for help."

"Jo," Dean murmured.

"Up until an hour ago she was truly the only one besides me that still had faith in God. That still prayed to him."

"You pray to God?"

"I do," Sam said as he shook his head at his brother, knowing his faith in a divine being had died that night their mother was killed. That their father drilled it in his head that there was only evil out there that needed to be stopped.

That wasn't the same for him. If there was evil and lord know he's seen more than his share since he was a child then he always felt there had to be good too. So when Pastor Jim would talk to him and Dean about God he didn't just politely listen because his father told him to like Dean did.

He believed that Pastor Jim was right, and he would pray for the safety of his small family every day. He never stopped praying, even when he was at college he prayed for his father and brother.

Dean couldn't help it; he began to laugh. "You know Mom would tell me every night she tucked me in that the angels were watching over me. I guess she was right."

"She was," Sam agreed before doing something he normally would never do in their reality. He scooted closer to Dean and rested his head on his brother's shoulder. "I know the truth Dean...about Mom and the deal she made. It's okay to be angry but never doubted that she loved us."

Dean wrapped his arm around Sam and cuddling him close like they use to as kids. "I know. I was just shocked."

"I get it," he murmured as he yawned.

"Hey don't fall asleep on me just yet," Dean said softly.

"We need to talk huh," Sam agreed.

"I need to know what to do Sam."

Sam pulled back slightly so that he could look into his brother's eyes. He smiled at the older man. "Would you really do it? Would you really raise me as your child?"

"Do you want that?" Dean asked.

Sam's eyes drifted over to the memory and smiled. "I'm tired Dean. I'm tired of being angry and sad all the time. These past two months I've been happier than I ever remember. I feel like I'm healing.”

Dean nodded his head in understanding. "Then there's nothing to consider."

The younger brother smiled. "You don't think I'm being selfish?"

"No Sam, I want this too. I was afraid to make that decision for you though. If this is what you want then so do I.”

Sam smiled up at Dean. “I want you to know that Castiel has told me that I have the ability to brake this curse. That when I’m ready I can end it.”

“You take all the time you need Sam. I’m not going to pretend and say I won’t miss my brother but I think it will be good for both of us.” Dean told his brother.

"I think you’re right and I think I'm not the only one healing," he said as they turned their attention back to the trio on the blanket. At the way Dean looked at Jo. "She's good for you and you're good for her."

"Playing match maker, huh," Dean teased.

"Kinda late to play match maker since you and Jo slept together last night and this morning."

Dean's mouth dropped opened. "How..."

"Let’s just say in the future make sure I'm really fully asleep...before you and Jo well you know." He told him as he yawned. "I'm sleepy Daddy."

Dean smiled at the slip. "Then you go ahead and go to sleep Sammy, Daddy’s got you. As long as you need me, I’ve got you." He murmured as he kissed the top of his brother's head.

Dean’s eyes opened slowly, and he sighed as he held his brother close. “I've got you Sammy…I 've got you.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I hope people aren't put off that Sam made the decision he made. Like I said before these three were all kinda screwed up thanks to their childhood and how they were raised. Even though Ellen was a good Mom she still took being over protective to being controlling...which I think was part of Jo's issues to want to hunt. I just want all three to find a 'healthy' balance with their lives and let them figure out what this is and how to get there. For Sam...he needs a bit of a do over. Dean did what he could to give Sam a good childhood the first time around but was still a child himself so this is his chance to give Sam everything he would have wanted to give him before but couldn't.


	7. Okay I don't know about anyone else, but I need a drink.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean make their decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, well I actually finished this story the other day so I'm going to start to post the rest of the chapters over the next few days. Thank you everyone for reading and feedback is always welcome.
> 
> Thank you,  
> Val

Chapter 7

Jo and the others watched as Dean slowly sat up and cuddle his brother close. He looked over to the angel.

"Samuel has made his decision?" Castiel asked.

She Dean smiled as he looked down at the baby in his arms and nodded his head. "He has…we have...it's what we both want."

Castiel nodded his head as that was the answer he was expecting, and his work here was done for now. The others blinked when the angel suddenly disappeared, and they heard the distinct sound of wings flapping.

"Okay I don't know about anyone else, but I need a drink." Ellen said as Dean looked over at Jo.

"Jo and I need to talk, we'll meet you in the kitchen," Dean said.

She chewed on her bottom lip as the others made their way out of the room and they were left alone. "Were you really going to kill Sammy…were you willing to sacrifice your soul for his?"

Jo looked down at the sleeping infant in Dean's arms and the wave of unconditionally love she had for the baby shone on her face as she looked up and nodded her head. "I was, he never deserve to be damn to Hell."

Dean smiled as he leaned down and kissed Jo's cheek, saying softly, "thank you…thank you for being the mother Sammy truly deserves."

Jo looked up at Dean in shock…mother…was she ready to make that commitment? She dragged her gaze from the man in front of her down to Sammy and found herself smiling as she nodded her head. Her child…her son…oh yes she was ready to be Sammy mother.

"I'm going to go put him down why don't you join the others and I'll join you in a few."

Jo smiled as she bent down and kissed Sammy on his forehead as she said. "Night Mr. Monkey Man, I love you."

Dean turned and walked up the stairs towards the room he has been sharing with his brother…his son. A part of him always considered Sammy his child in a way. Their Dad loved him and Sammy, he knew gave his life for Dean but the night his mother died the 'Daddy' Dean knew and adored died too.

Oh he still worshipped his father; he was a little kid and his Daddy was battling monsters so of course he worshipped him but at the same time a part of him hated John for being selfish…he could admit that now.

His father was selfish, he understood the need his Dad had to get Azazel, but he was a father…him and Sammy should have been more important…they should have been his father's main concern…it shouldn't had taken Dean being at death's door for John to act like a father for a change and even then he left the heaviest burden on Dean's shoulder…kill Sam if he couldn't save him.

Sure John Winchester had his moments…the baseball game at Fenway Park, camping in the Grand Canyon or going to wrestling matches but those moments were few and far Sammy probable didn't remember most because their father got worst…darker as they got older not better and those few happy memories were just that memories.

As they got older if they camped, it was part of their training. There was never money for baseball games or wrestling matches…the money was needed for practical things like food and ammo. As Dean got older he took on more of his father's role…he kept the 'house', kept track of their school records, medical records, made sure their cloths were clean…all of it fell on Dean.

He remembered when Sammy was about eighteen months old and he said his first word and it was to call him. He remember the look on his father's face when he smiled sadly and told him that Dean's first word was DaDa and how much it upset his Mommy because she tried to get him to say MaMa and now he knew how Mary had felt.

Dean had cried when his father told him that and he kept trying to get Sammy to say DaDa, but he would just hold his arms out to his brother and say De. His father had patted Dean's head and told him it was alright; Sammy was too small to know any better.

Dean snorted as the adult him realized now how passive aggressive his father could be. Sammy saw Dean as his true caregiver even back then and John would make comments like 'Oh he's too young to know better' to make himself feel better that his youngest looked at a six year old for comfort and love when it should have been him.

Sorry Dad but Sammy did know better, it was me who didn't acknowledge it until now and now Dean was going to do things the right way...no skivvy motels…no dumping him off with some random hunter…no giving a child a colt .45 when he's scared of the monsters under the bed. He was Sammy's true caregiver…father…now and this was the most important job he would ever have.

Dean brought Sammy over to the changing table and put him in a dry diaper before sitting down in the rocking chair Jo had him move into the room a few weeks back. "Hey Sammy," he cooed as he began to rock him to sleep.

This is what Sammy deserves…a home and to be coddled. His Mom coddled him his first four years and it didn't make him weak…Hell it made him stronger…strong enough to survive John Winchester's boot camp and strong enough to raise his brother the best he could with what he had to offer back when he was only a child himself.

He smiled as he thought about the memory his brother was thinking about earlier. "You love Jo don't you squirt," he said to him and whispered. "I'll tell you a secret, I love her too…just not the same way…which I guess you already know since you kinda saw what we did last night...sorry about that…you can tell your shrink when you're older that your parents scarred you for life by having sex while you were in the room."

"What?" Jo cried out in shock as she stood in the doorway.

Dean looked up and laughed as he explained what happened when Castiel brought Dean into Sammy's subconscious and smirked when she blushed beet red that Sam wasn't fully asleep and was aware they were having sex in the bed across from him, "okay that's pretty embarrassing…I guess I'll be chipping in for his therapy too."

"Is that for Sammy?" he asked nodding his head towards the bottle in her hand.

"Yeah, I realized that he really didn't eat as much as usually earlier…I guess he knew what was coming and couldn't. I thought you might want to give him a bottle."

"Thanks," he said as he accepted the bottle.

Jo smiled as Dean began to sing 'The Long and Winding Road' while feeding Sammy and said, "my Mom use to sing Carol King to me when I was little."

Dean smiled, "I can see that…my Mom use to sing The Beatles…usually 'Hey Jude'."

"Well I'll let you finish feeding Sammy." She told him as she went to stand up.

"Jo wait," Dean said softly as he looked up, suddenly feeling uncertain. "What I said earlier…I wasn't trying to pressure you into anything…I…well Sammy and I…umm…."

Jo smiled as she shook her head, "Dean you're not pressuring me. I think, no I know I've felt like Sammy was mine…I just never used the word mother…I didn't think I had the right to use that word, but it feels…oh Dean it just feels so right."

"I know what you mean." He said as he nodded his head head before asking, "does that go for us too Jo?"

"Us," Jo said with a grin. "That feels really good and definitely right too."

Dean returned her grin, "Good because I feel the same way."

"Finish giving Sammy his bottle, put him down for the night and come join us. We deserve to celebrate."

Dean nodded his head, "yes ma'am. I'll be down soon."

So Dean gave Sammy his bottle as he rocked him gently. He wasn't a fool he knew him, and Jo had a ton to discuss. Namely how they would handle being a hunting family because he knew that neither him or Jo would turn their backs completely on saving people. He knew Sam wouldn't want that, his brother never doubted what they did…he just didn't agree with how his father approached it.

Dean just knew it was no longer going to be endless hunting…finding cases as they drove crisscross across America… hustling for food and gas money. Jo and him would need to set up a home base and maybe he would start a legit business like Bobby.

He looked down and saw that Sam had finished his bottle and lifted him against his shoulder and burped him.

He sighed as he heard Sammy's soft snores and stood up and brought the sleeping child to the crib and settled him for the night.

He looked up when he heard Jo's laughter. "You're right about Jo helping me to heal too. She's the one Sammy. I can see a life with her…I can see us making you a big brother one day." He said as he laid his hand on his brother's chest.

"Okay, sleep well Sammy." He said as he leaned down and kissed the sleeping infant on the forehead before making his way downstairs to celebrate with Jo and the others.

TBC


	8. Daddy…she’s boring.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our little family has grown and I hope people like the new addition.

Chapter 8

Dean laughed as Sammy stood by the bassinet and frowned. “Daddy…she’s boring.”

“Well you were pretty boring too when you were that little.” Dean said to the five year old as he ruffled his hair.

Sammy huffed in annoyance but grinned when his mother walked into their bedroom. “Mommy…Daddy’s being fresh.”

“Bad Daddy,” Jo said as she walked over and kissed her husband.

“He finds Lia boring,” Dean explained. Sammy so far hadn’t been impressed with his baby sister Willia Joan Winchester since they brought her home three days ago. 

They had opted out of finding out the sex of the baby but knew they wanted to name the baby after their fathers, so they had settled on William John for a boy and Willia Joan for a girl.

“Can I go play with my cars in my room Mommy?”

“Of course you can Sweetie,” Jo said as she accepted the hug Sammy gave her. Seemed like he couldn’t get enough hugs lately. 

“I think he expects to feel a baby kick every time he hugs you now.” Dean said as he draped an arm across Jo’s shoulder as they watched their daughter sleep. “He told me Lia’s boring… I said the same thing to my Dad when they brought Sammy home.”

“You miss him don’t you?” Jo said as she leaned into Dean’s embrace.

Dean gazed down at his daughter as he nodded his head. “I keep wanting to call and tell him that he’s an uncle.”

Jo sighed as she nodded her head in understanding. “I miss him too.”

“Don’t get me wrong Jo, I don’t regret anything we’ve done. And hay, I made him a big brother so that’s pretty amazing right.” He said as he nudged Jo with his shoulder. Earning a snort and a ‘oh yeah you did all the hard work’ eye roll from his wife.

  
“Can you believe Christmas is only a three days away?” Jo said as she looked up at her husband. “You’re going to have to go to Bobby’s and make sure that all of his toys are put together like a good little elf.”

“Thank God this one’s too little to know what’s going on.” Dean murmured.

“Next Christmas will be fun…I can’t wait to get a picture of Sammy and Lia with Santa. Actually, we have time, we could bring them to the mall tomorrow and do it,” she suggested.

Dean shook his head, “no way am I bringing a newborn to a mall two days before Christmas…do I look certifiable to you?.”

“Just a suggestion,” Jo teased. 

Dean smirked at his wife and shook his head. Five years ago if somebody had told him he would be married with two children he would have said they were crazy but God how their lives had changed over the last five years after Castiel help them defeated Azazel. Dean and Jo had decided to stay in Sioux Falls and found a house a few miles from Bobby.

Dean accepted Bobby’s offer to let him buy into the salvage yard and they added a real garage and between them they were able to expand the business and made it more profitable than Bobby had ever seen it.

It was Jo suggestion of what she wanted to do that still surprised him sometimes. Joanna Beth Harvelle Winchester was a PI…yup his wife got her private investigator’s license after they settled into their little home.

It was a great cover and she actually liked the work and she was good at it…Hell better than good. She even worked a few cases with the sheriff.

It helped that Jody knew what they did after Dean and Jo helped out two years ago when the town people’s love one rose from the dead including Jody’s late son and Bobby’s late wife Karen. 

It was a shitty way to be introduced to the hunting world (not that there was a good way) but to bury a child once is horrible but twice is unforgivable, especially when that child killed his own father and your husband.

Dean and Jo consider Jody family and my how their family had grown. Ellen had decided to sell The Roadhouse back in Kansas and opened a new bar and grill around a half an hour away from Jo and Dean.

That didn’t surprise Dean or Jo too much, but it did surprise the young couple when Rufus showed up to help Dean and Bobby with the renovation on the property and ended up staying and helping Ellen run the place between hunts.

Jo had even taken to calling Rufus ‘Pop’…first as a joke but the term of endearment stuck.

Hunting…that was the biggest change. They all still hunted just never together and never at the same time. 

Dean even surprised himself when he told Jo when she got pregnant that he was thinking of stepping back even more and take on more of Bobby type role in helping other hunters with research and covering as their ‘bosses’ when the local police followed up on their stories.

Jo had smiled and said it was the Dean Winchester’s version of being a stay at home dad. He hadn’t really thought of it that way until she said it, but he had laughed and said he guess it was and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He already had a child safe area in the garage that he had set up for Sammy for when he brought him to work and he knew there was plenty of space for Lia to join them.

Not that Jo was taking on the big hunts anymore either…even before she got pregnant. If it was more than five hours away she passed it on to another hunter. Not to mention her legit business really took off over the past two years and sometimes she had to pass hunts up because of her legit caseload.

So her hunts had started cutting back a few months before she got pregnant and she hadn’t mentioned when she would go out again since she had Lia. Dean had a sneaky suspicion she would be hanging back more too since she had several phone lines added in her office they had built for her over their garage to cover for other hunters too.

“So I confirmed, it’s going to be Mom, Rufus, Bobby and Jody for Christmas dinner. I also told Jody we would go to Midnight Mass with her. Mom said she would stay with Lia since her and Rufus are staying over so that they can be here when Sammy comes down to see what Santa brought in the morning.” Jo said.

Dean nodded his head as he said with a chuckle, “man five years ago I would have laughed at the idea of going to church…especially Midnight Mass.”

“You know I don’t expect you to go.” Jo told him softly.

Once Dean had explained that Sam had told him that he prayed she had asked if he would mind if she took Sammy to church. Seemed she had been going for a while herself, just never discussed it with any of them since she knew they didn’t believe in a higher being. 

Of course having an angel of the lord kill a demon and bringing you back to life kinda made the others reconsider this idea.

So not only did Dean tell her he was alright with her taking Sammy to church, but he even joined them sometimes. He wasn’t overly religious, but he did like the family time and he figured God would accept that as a win.

Dean leaned down and kissed Jo on the cheek. “I want to go…honest.” He whispered in her ear before giving her another kiss.

“DADDY! Come play cars with me,” Sammy shouted from his room.

“I believe somebody is interested in a play date.” Jo teased.

“Yup I get to play cars and I believe our daughter needs a diaper change from the whiff I just got.” Dean teased as he scooted by his wife, earning a swat on his backside as he headed towards Sammy’s room.

SPNSPNSPN

Sammy huffed as Daddy and Mommy went upstairs to put Lia in her bassinet. Daddy said they were going to watch Rudolph and make popcorn strings for their tree but first they had to put the baby to bed. 

He was a big boy and only need either Mommy or Daddy to tuck him in. He didn’t need both like stupid baby Lia. He didn’t see why Mommy and Daddy wanted to keep Lia…she seemed like a lot a work to him and she didn’t do anything fun either.

“Daddy…can I play in your office.” Sammy asked in a whisper up the stairs. He look down at his dog Baxter. “I didn’t hear Daddy say no…did you?

The dog cocked his head as he wagged his tail. “Come on Baxter,” Sammy said as he and his partner in crime snuck into Daddy’s office where he had all those shinny guns on display.

“Daddy says when I’m bigger he’ll let me touch them,” Sammy told the dog who’s tail wagged even harder than before and knocked over a picture of Dean, Jo and Sammy when he was three. “Bad Baxter,” the little boy said as he picked up the picture.

Sammy chewed on his bottom lip when he saw the cracked glass. “Sammy did you drop a glass?” His Mommy called down.

“No Mommy,” the little boy said as he went to put the picture back and saw another picture sticking out. 

Sammy pulled the picture out and frowned as he looked at a picture of his Daddy and Mommy with a man who was even taller than his Daddy and his Daddy was practically a giant. They were all laughing in the picture.

Sammy tilted his head as he looked at the picture. The man looked familiar. “Sammy why are you in Daddy’s office?” His Daddy asked as he came into the room.

The child slipped the picture in his pocket as he stood up. “I was only looking at your guns Daddy. Baxter’s tail knocked your picture over.”

Dean squatted down so that he was eye level with the child. “Sammy you know you’re not allowed in Daddy’s office unless I’m in here with you.”

“Yes Daddy,” Sammy said as he hung his head. “I’m sorry Daddy.”

Dean nodded his head as he stood up and lifted the little boy into his arms. “Look I understand Buddy, I do. It’s all different now with the new baby but you still have to follow the rules.”

“Okay Daddy,” Sammy said as he laid his head on Dean’s shoulder.

“Alright, now Mommy is making the popcorn for the garland. So I want you to go up and put your jammies on. Then when you come down we’ll watch Rudolph and string the popcorn.”

“Okay,” Sammy said as Dean tickled his sides causing him to giggle happily as his father put him down and patted his bottom.

“Hey Baxter…seems Sammy ratted you out boy.” Dean said with a chuckle as he patted the dog on his head before picking up the picture and shaking his head as he went into the kitchen.

“What was he up to?” Jo asked as she poured the kernels into the air popper. 

“He was in my office looking at my guns. Baxter knocked over this picture. Do we have another frame, the glass is broken on this one.”

Jo looked up, “ummm actually I picked up a couple of frames a few weeks ago. I think I left the bag in the pantry.”

“Thanks,” Dean said as he opened the side door into the small pantry and looked around. He smiled when he saw a bag in the corner beside a box of Sammy’s old baby toys that Jo couldn’t bring herself to donate. He looked inside and found several different frames in the bag and pulled out a 5 x 7 one.

“Found one” he said as he walked back into the room. “You know Sammy isn’t going to play with those toys anymore. We need to donate them.”

“I figured Lia could play with them when she’s older.” Jo said as she put a large bowl under the air popper before plugging it in. 

“I guess,” Dean murmured as he started to take the back off the old frame to take the picture out and put it in the new one. He frowned when he took the back off and looked over to his wife. “Sweetheart, did you take the other picture out of this frame?”

Jo shook her head, “No. Why would I do that?”

“I know I left the other picture in this frame. It was the one Ash took of you, me and Sam after that case with the clowns that you’re mom gave us.”

Jo looked at her husband in confusion. “You don’t think Sammy took it? Do you?”

“Why would he take?”

“I don’t know. Because it’s a picture with us in it. He may just want it because of that.” She reasoned.

“I guess,” Dean agreed as he looked down at the photo in his hand, suddenly he had a sickening feeling in his stomach. One look at his wife and he knew she was thinking the same thing…but neither having the courage to say it out loud.

“Daddy…can we put Rudolph on now?” Sammy called from the other room.

“Coming Buddy,” Dean called out as he quickly put the photo into the new frame and threw the broken one in the recycling bin.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Jo said as she finished making the popcorn.

TBC


	9. Hey Dean, we need to talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel is back *grin*.

Chapter 9

“Good night Baby,” Jo said as she leaned down and kissed the top of Sammy’s head. 

“Mommy, I’m too big for you to call Baby…that’s Lia.” The little boy told his mother with a huff.

“Oh I’m sorry,” Jo said in an exaggerated voice. “Daddy will be in to say goodnight after he finishes giving your sister her bottle.”

“Okay Mommy,” Sam said as he snuggled down into his pillow. He was really tired since Mommy and Daddy let him stay up extra late and they watched Frosty after they finished watching Rudolph. “Will you read me a story?”

“Of course, how about ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’? We haven’t read that in a while.”

“Yes please,” Sammy said, trying to hide his yawn.

Jo grabbed the book and sat next to Sammy on the bed before flipping the book open and began reading to him one of his favorite stories. She was almost done when she heard Sammy snoring softly next to her and quietly closed the book and extracted herself from her son.

“He’s out for the count,” Dean whispered from the doorway. 

“Probable,” Jo agreed as she stood up and stepped aside so Dean could kiss Sammy goodnight before they made their way downstairs to clean up. Neither noticed the way the little boys eyes seemed to be moving unnaturally fast under his closed eyelids.

SPNSPNSPN

“Hello Sammy,” the man in the trench coat said as Sammy ran up and wrapped his arms around his waist. 

“Hi Mr. Cas,” the child said happily. 

“How is Willia?” The angel asked as he reached down and took Sammy’s hand as they began strolling through the park. It was usually the park or the zoo the child brought them too. 

“Daddy and Mommy say she’s good as gold, but can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course, I will not betray your confidence.”

“She’s boring and stinky too. She poops in her diaper.” He explained seriously.

“I see,” the angel said as he nodded his head. “Well as she gets older these things will change.”

Sammy sighed; his Mommy told him that too. He stopped walking when he saw a tall man standing by a tree ahead. “Mr. Cas, that’s Mommy and Daddy’s friend.”

Castiel nodded his head sadly, he knew this day was coming. “Yes, do you want to meet him?”

The little boy looked at the man. He seemed so happy to see him and he eagerly nodded his head. Castiel guided the child towards the man. “Sammy, I would like you to meet Samuel.”

The child grinned up at the man, “we have the same name!”

“We sure do,” Sam said as he knelt down in front of the child. He smiled at how happy the little boy was and said a silent thank you to his brother and Jo for giving him such a loving and happy home life. 

The child sighed as he looked over to Castiel. “Mr. Cas, is it time for me to sleep?”

“It is,” the angel said as he looked over at Sam. 

Sammy nodded his head as he looked up at the man in front of him. “Mommy will be sad. We need to tell Daddy. He always knows what to do when Mommy is sad.”

Sam nodded his head. “Right, we’ll talk to Daddy first. I promise.”

“Okay then,” the little boy said as reached up for Castiel to pick him up. He snuggled into the angel’s embrace as his eyes fluttered close.

SPNSPNSPN

Sam eyes open quickly, and he looked around his room. Baxter head popped up from the foot of bed when he heard his friend getting up. “Stay Baxter,” Sam said as he patted the top of the dog’s head before slipping out from beneath his covers and made his way down towards his parent’s…no…not his parents…his brother and his wife’s room.

Sam opened the door and made his way over to his Daddy…no…his Dean and shook him slightly. Dean’s eyes opened and he smiled when he saw his little boy standing next to the bed. “Hey Buddy, did you have a bad dream?”

Dean sat up when he saw the tears glistening in Sammy’s eyes. “What’s wrong Sammy?”

“Hey Dean, we need to talk.”

SPNSPNSPN

Dean shot a look over at Jo and saw that she was still thankfully asleep before he got out of bed and followed Sam downstairs. 

“Sam? Is that really you?”

“Yeah it’s really me.” He said as Dean dropped to his knees and pulled his brother in for a hug. “Dude, still in a little body here and you’re crushing it.”

“Sorry…wait I don’t understand. Why are you still small?”

“I suggested it,” came a voice Dean hadn’t heard in five years. 

“Castiel.” Dean said as he stood up slowly.

“Hello Dean.”

“But he’s now an adult in a child’s body?” Dean asked.

“For now,” Sam explained. “I knew you; Jo and the others would want a chance with him…a chance to say goodbye.”

Dean nodded his head in agreement before looking up the stairs to where his wife slept. “How long do we have?”

“As long as you need,” Sam told him. “Dean…I…I can’t say thank you enough for giving me this gift…that all of you gave me but especially you and Jo.”

Dean’s eyes fell upon the Christmas tree in the living room. “Give us one last Christmas with our little boy.”

“I’d like that too,” Sam agreed as he looked at Cas. “I think I would prefer to be Sammy though until then. If that’s okay with you?” He asked Dean who quickly who nodded his head in agreement. 

“Very well, I will help Samuel go back to sleep so that Sammy can be awake.”

  
“Wait,” Dean said as he knelt down in front of the little boy again. “Is this what you really want? Jo and I…we love you and we love raising you.”

Sam smiled, “I’m ready Dean, really and the only reason why is because of what amazing parents you and Jo are. Lia is a very lucky little girl.”

Dean didn’t tried to stop his tears as he nodded his head. “God Jo’s never going to donate your toys now.” He joked as his heart broke at losing his little boy, yet at the same time he felt unbelievable joy at the thought of having his brother back. 

“I’m sure Lia and any other little brothers or sisters you want to give her will get good use out of them.” Sam said with a sad smile as his little hands reached out to cup his brother’s cheeks. “I love you...” he said before adding affectionally, “jerk.”

Dean snorted in amusement, “I love you too…bitch.”

“I’m ready Cas,” Sam said as he looked over at the angel who walked over and joined them. He reached out and gently stroked Sam’s head and Dean gasped slightly as he saw a flash of white light and when he pulled his hand away Sammy looked up at him. “Daddy, is it Christmas? Has Santa come?”

TBC


	10. Oh crap…you know what this means don’t you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awww Jo and Dean have some family time with Sammy.

Chapter 10

After he tucked Sammy back into bed he made his way back to his room. He went over to check on his daughter when he heard Lia awake in her bassinet that they had tucked in the alcove by the windows overlooking the back yard. Dean looked down and rubbed his daughter’s tummy. “You hungry Sweetpea?”

“Probable,” Jo murmured as she sat up. “I’ll pop her on the boob if you bring her over.”

Dean lifted Lia up and brought her over to Jo as she opened her nightgown. “Hey Baby Girl,” she cooed. Dean smiled as he watched his wife nursing their daughter. "Did I hear Sammy get up?” she asked.

“Yeah, I got him back down.”

Jo looked up at the sound of Dean’s voice and sighed. “He’s leaving us isn’t he?”

“He’s ready Jo.” Dean said as he climbed into the bed next to his wife. “We have until Christmas and then Sam will come back to us.”

Jo sniffled as she laid her cheek on the top of her daughter’s head. “Maybe if we talk to him. He could be feeling threatened because we had another baby.”

Dean shook his head slightly, “Sweetheart he’s ready.”

“He told me he wasn’t a baby tonight when I was tucking him in. He said he was too big to be called a baby.” She told him as the tears she was trying to stop finally began to fall.

“We agreed, that when he was ready we wouldn’t try and change his mind.”

“I know,” Jo said as she gently switched Lia to her other breast. “Oh crap…you know what this means don’t you?”

“What?”

“We have to take a newborn to the mall tomorrow to see Santa…there is no way I’m not getting a picture of Lia and Sammy with Santa.” She announced.

Dean winced as he realized what this little trip was going to entailed but nodded his head none the less because this was definitely a ‘happy wife…happy life moment’ and listened as Jo planned to dress Lia in the little crushed red velvet dress Ellen had bought for Christmas and Sammy in his little suit with the plaid bow tie her Mom had picked up too. Okay even Dean could admit how adorable his brother looked in that outfit when Ellen picked it out for him.

He knew they would be packing as much in as possible with Sammy before December 26th and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean smiled as he looked at the photo of him and Jo with Sammy, Lia and Santa. Jo decided that morning it would make a great family photo, so he put on one of his nicer shirts and the sweater vest Jo had picked up for him last year when they went out to dinner with Ellen and Rufus for their anniversary. He smirked to himself thinking about Sam giving him grief for being completely whipped by his wife.

Sammy was in the kitchen with Jo making cookies to leave out for Santa tomorrow night. She wanted to make this the most memorable Christmas for him. As much as he hated losing his baby boy the more time he had to think about having his brother back he was getting anxious for Christmas to come. He missed his brother.

Dean looked down at the baby in his arms and smiled. “Hey Baby Girl, do you want to hear about your Uncle Sam…yes you do,” he cooed to the baby in his arms as he sat down on his recliner and made himself comfortable.

Twenty minutes later Dean was humming ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ to his daughter as she slept on his chest. Damn he was getting as emotional as Jo because feeling his child’s tiny heartbeat against his own practically made him want to weep at the love and joy he felt.

He looked up when he heard little footsteps running from the kitchen towards the living room and a few seconds later his little boy was standing in the doorway carrying a cookie. “Is that for me Buddy?”

Sammy grinned as he nodded his head. “Yes Daddy, Mommy and I made it just for you.”

“Ohhh well then you should bring it over here,” Dean said as he moved Lia so that she was lying in the crook of one arm, leaving the other free for Sammy to climb up and cuddle with him.

He smiled when Sammy handed him a gingerbread man and he had choke back a laugh when he saw what they had done. “Is this Daddy?”

“Unnhun…Mommy helped.” Sammy said as he looked at his masterpiece. “Are you going to eat it Daddy?”

Dean looked at the cookie, “do you want me to? I would think making jeans and a flannel shirt for a gingerbread man is a lot of work…”

“Mommy said you’re word it,” Sammy told him as he rested his head on Dean’s shoulder.

“Did Mommy say ‘worth it’ maybe?” Dean asked as he raised the cookie and bit off a foot.

“No Daddy, you’re hurting him! Mommy say you eat the head first and put them out of their mismory!”

Dean shook his head and laughed, “I think you mean misery.” He said as he lifted and decapitated the cookie…making the gingerbread man’s death swift and painless per his wife.

Sammy sighed as reached up and tentatively stroked Lia’s cheek. “Daddy, will Santa bring Lia anything? She didn’t write her letter like I did with Nana and Papa.”

“Oh I’m sure your Nana wrote a nice letter to Santa to tell him all about her new granddaughter and told him what she needs.”

“Like a new bicycle? Maybe a Spiderman bicycle?” The little boy asked hopefully.

Dean opened his eyes wide as he leaned forward and asked in a stage whisper. “Do you think Lia would like a Spiderman bicycle?”

“I know I would if I was her,” Sammy said seriously.

“Hmmm well I don’t know…she’s awfully little for one…but maybe if Santa brings one Christmas morning you can play with it for her. How does that sound?”

Sammy thought about it for a few seconds before he nodded his head much to Dean’s amusement. He looked up when he heard his wife come into the room. “Hey, I thought you were coming right back. I’ve been decorating the cookies all by myself.”

“We were just discussing what Santa might bring for Lia.” Dean explained.

“Oh well that is definitely more important than decorating cookies. So Sammy what do you think Santa might bring for Lia?” She asked as she sat down on the couch deciding a little break wasn’t such a bad idea.

“A Spiderman bicycle,” Sammy told his mother.

Jo nodded her head as she smiled as Dean winked at her.

“I bet she would love that too.” She said as she raised her hand to cover her mouth as she yawned .“Excuse me.”

Dean really looked at Jo and sighed. She was exhausted, he could see it in her eyes. Lia wasn’t even a week old yet and she should be relaxing more. “Okay nap time for Mommy.” He announced.

Jo looked up in shock at him. “Dean I’m fine.”

“You’re tired. Sammy, Lia and I will finish decorating the cookies. Then we will clean the kitchen up when we’re done. You’re not cooking dinner either, we’re doing the Pre-Christmas Eve Pizza Supper Night.”

Jo laugh at her husband, “I never heard of Pre-Christmas Eve Pizza Supper Night before.”

“Just made it up,” he teased as Sammy got down and he stood up, cradling Lia close.

“Clever Daddy,” Jo murmured as she reached over and grabbed the throw blanket off the back of the couch and laid back.

Dean leaned forward and kissed Jo. “Take a nap, I’ve got everything covered. ”He made sure Jo was laying back before he ushered Sammy into the kitchen. He went over to the bouncy chair on the counter and laid his sleeping daughter down, making sure she was secured before turning towards Sammy. “Okay Buddy, we need to get these cookies ready for Santa.”

SPNSPNSPN

Dean finished drying the last bowl and putting it away as Sammy sat with Baxter on the floor in the corner explaining to the dog about Santa. He went over and grinned at his daughter who currently seem fascinated with her feet. “Did you find your feet, Baby.” Dean cooed as he lifted the seat and transferred it to the now cleared off table.

He was just setting her down when he heard a knock at the back door and Sammy excited voice shout, “NANA…PAPA!” as he looked up through the window.

Dean went and let Ellen and Rufus in. He smirked as the older hunter was carrying a very large roasting pan covered in tinfoil.

“Move it Winchester, this turkey is heavy.” Rufus huffed as Dean stepped aside and he went over and put the pan down on top of the stove while Ellen was busy hugging Sammy and tickling her new granddaughter.

“Where’s Jo?” Ellen asked as she sat down and lifted Sammy up so that he was sitting on her lap.

“Insisted she lay down and take a nap. I’m getting ready to order pizza, do you guys want to stay for dinner””

“Order a meat lovers and my vote is yes,” Rufus said as he joined Ellen at the table.

“Fine by me. That’s the turkey for Christmas, may want to put it in the fridge.” Ellen told her son-in-law.

Dean picked up the pan and huffed at the weight. “You weren’t kidding. How many are we feeding, the whole neighborhood?”

“Funny,” Ellen huffed.

“Sammy can you open the refrigerator door for Daddy?” Dean asked.

Sammy scooted off his grandmother’s lap and hurried over to fridge. “Okay Daddy,” Sammy said as he opened the door for his father.

“Good job Buddy,” Dean said as he slipped the turkey into the fridge before grabbing the takeout menu.

“Large meat lover, a large peppers and onions…anything else?”

“A couple of garden salads too, make one of those salads with grilled chicken for Jo.” Ellen said, knowing her daughter would want some kind of veggies for Sammy and that she should have a bit more protein since she was breast feeding.

“Got it,” Dean said as he grabbed the phone to put in the order.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo yawned as she sat up and looked at her watch. Oh god she had slept for over three hours. After a quick trip to the bathroom she made her way into the kitchen.

“Mom…Pop when did you get here?”

“Around a half hour ago,” Ellen said as she kissed her daughter hello.

“They dropped off the turkey, which you will not be lifting since it well over ten pounds.” Dean said as he went over and grabbed the plates and silverware.

“Don’t worry about it Dean, I’ll put the turkey on when we get up to see what Santa brought and we should be ready to eat by midafternoon.” Ellen reassured her son in law.

“I know, I’m on side dishes only.” Jo said as she checked on her daughter. “Honey did you give her a bottle?”

“Just before your parents got here,” he told her.

Jo smiled at Rufus and asked her Mom if she wanted to see the picture they had taken with the kids and Santa earlier. “Sammy can you help Daddy set the table?”

“Okay Mommy,” he agreed happily.

Jo sighed softly as she leaned down and kissed the little boy on the forehead. “You’re Mommy’s best helper, huh.” She murmured sadly.

SPNSPNSPN

Ellen followed her daughter into the living room. “How are you holding up?”

“Oh Mom, I knew this day would come. I just wasn’t expecting it so soon. Maybe when he became a smelly moody teenager okay…but not when he’s still my sweet little boy.” She told her sadly.

Ellen laughed as she hugged her daughter. “I know but if he feels it’s time then you need to respect that and let it happen.”

“I know,” Jo agreed. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Ellen looked over her shoulder towards the kitchen and smiled as she saw Sammy concentrating as he tried to remember which side the fork went on. “Jo…how are you and Dean going to explain Sammy no longer being here?”

“Castiel told Dean that once the curse is broken only the people who knew Sam before the curse happened would remember him from the past five years. Everyone else it will be like he never existed.” She explained sadly as she went over and picked up the photo to show her Mom.

“You mean his teachers…his classmates…his little friends…nobody will remember him?”

“No, none of them will remember him.” Jo said wondering if Jody would fall into that category. She was hoping that wasn’t the case since Jo considered her family.

Ellen shook her head, even after all her years of hunting she would never get over how curses could impact people in the strangest way. Sighing she looked down at the photo and smiled, “oh this is a nice picture,”

“I got extras, there’s one for you in my bag.” Jo told her.

“There better be,” Ellen teased.

Jo laugh as they sat down. “Oh by the way Sammy was hoping you sent a letter to Santa for Lia. He believes she would like a Spider-Man bike.”

Ellen snorted, “just what every newborn needs.” She said as her and Jo discussed the upcoming holiday.

TBC


	11. Daddy loves you to the moon and back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awww Dean and Jo have their last Christmas with their little boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the feedback and kudos for this story!! I'm so happy people like this story!!
> 
> Thank you again and enjoy!!  
> Val

Chapter 11

“Mommy…Daddy! Wake up…wake up! Santa came!” Sammy shouted excitedly as he hopped up onto his parents bed.

The commotion startled Lia who made her annoyance known with a high pitch wail. Jo winced as she quickly got out of bed to tend to the infant as Dean grabbed Sammy and pulled him down to cuddle him and tucked him under the covers next to him. 

“Merry Christmas Bud,” Dean said as he kissed Sammy’s cheek.

“No Daddy…no more sleep! Santa came!”

“Sammy can you use your soft voice? You’re scaring Lia and you don’t want to scare Lia on her first Christmas do you.” Jo said as she climbed back into bed with a still crying Lia.

Sammy looked at his Mommy and baby sister. “I’m sorry Lia. Santa came…you should be happy.” He said as he leaned over and kissed the baby’s forehead.

“Aww that was very sweet Baby.” Jo said as smiled at her little boy. She sat back as she opened her nightgown to nurse her daughter. “Let Mommy feed Lia and then we can wake up Nana and Papa to see what Santa brought.”

Sammy wiggled as he knelt up to watch Jo. Dean shook his head as he recognized the peepee squirm, “come on kiddo. Why don’t we go to the bathroom and brush our teeth while Lia has her breakfast.”

Sammy sighed at having to wait but he followed his Daddy since he did need to go potty.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah Bud,” Dean said as he looked down at his little boy. 

“Did Mommy use to feed me like that too?”

Dean shot a look over his shoulder to his wife who smirked and gave him the, ‘nah-nah better you than me’ grin.

“Well Bud, remember when we explained that you didn’t come out of Mommy’s tummy like Lia…” Dean started to explain why Jo didn’t nurse Sammy like Lia.

SPNSPNSPN

Rufus used his new iPhone to take a video of Sammy as he came into the living room. He grinned as the little fella began bouncing up and down. “Look Lia Santa gave us lots of toys!” He announced to his little sister.

“Boy look at all this stuff…somebody must have been a very good boy this year.” Jo said as she grinned at the little boy who was whipping his head around trying to figure out what to open first.

“Do you want Daddy to help?” Dean asked as he sat on the floor near where all of Sammy’s presents were. Fighting back his tears that this was their last Christmas with their little boy.

Sammy nodded his head eagerly as he went over and sat down next to Dean who helped him rip into his presents while Rufus captured the pair together knowing the brothers would treasure the video.

SPNSPNSPN

Jo smiled sadly as she watched Dean tucking little Sammy in for the last time. She had gone downstairs in the basement yesterday and brought up all Sam’s clothes and washed them for him. Dean and she had come upstairs earlier while her Mom, Rufus and Bobby spent time with Sammy and switched out little Sammy’s clothes with Sam’s clothes. Jo had written a note for Sam telling him where everything was for when he woke up.

“Hey Buddy, did you have a good day?” Dean asked as he stroked Sammy’s hair lovingly. 

“Yes Daddy,” Sammy said as he yawned.

Dean nodded his head as he took several deep breaths to get his emotions under control. He didn’t want to upset the little boy by crying. “I love you Sammy. You remember that okay, that Daddy loves you to the moon and back. Will you remember that?”

Sammy grinned at his father and nodded his head. “I love you too Daddy.”

Dean smiled as he leaned over and kissed Sammy on the forehead. He stood up and looked over at Jo who was trying desperately to keep her emotions in check. She crossed the room and smiled down at her little boy. 

“Getting so big,” Jo murmured as she sat on the edge of the bed. “I love you Sammy. You’re Mommy’s best boy.”

“I love you too Mommy,” Sammy said as the reached up and wrapped his little arms around Jo’s neck and hugging her close. Jo choked back a sob as she kissed Sammy’s cheek. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the note, placing it on the nightstand by the bed. “That’s for when you wake up Baby. Okay?”

“Okay Mommy.” Sammy said with a tired yawn as he laid back down. Jo combed her fingers through her little boys hair for the last time and stood up. She was grateful when Dean came and wrapped an arm around her waist, she was afraid he legs were going to give out. 

“Goodnight Baby,” Jo whispered as she leaned down and gave him another kiss. 

“Night Bud,” Dean said as he gave his little boy a strained smile. 

Dean squeezed Jo gently, urging her out of the room. It was 11:30PM and they had kept Sammy up much later than normal because they wanted to spend as much time as possible with him, but it was time to let him go to sleep so that Sam could break the curse with Castiel’s help now.

Slowly the couple made their way downstairs to join the others. Ellen looked up and rushed over to her daughter, hugging her as the young mother finally broke down. Ellen rubbed Jo’s back as she told Jo to just let it out. 

Bobby went over to Dean, “I’m going to head out. I’ll come over tomorrow to see him, but I think you three need a little time to yourselves.”

“Thanks Bobby,” Dean said as he hugged his surrogate father. 

“Ellen and I are heading out too,” Rufus told Dean as Jo’s slowly began to get her breathing under control. 

Mother and daughter slowly separated as Dean went and stood by his wife. “We’ll come tomorrow too,” Ellen said as Jo nodded her head in understanding. 

Soon the other three hunters were gone, leaving Dean and Jo to wait for Sam.

TBC


	12. "Hello Dean…Jo."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sniffle little Sammy is gone and big Sam is back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm was I too obvious that when Sam was de-aged he was Sammy...never Sam?
> 
> Thank you again and enjoy!
> 
> Val

Chapter 12

Sammy smiled as he saw his friend Mr. Cas standing by the tiger paddock. "Mr. Cas!" Sammy shouted happily as he ran over and hugged his friend.

"Hello Sammy, I see you wanted to go to the zoo one last time." The angel said as he returned the little boy's hug.

Sammy reached out and took the angel's hand as they walked around the zoo, visiting the animals as the little boy told Mr. Cas all about his Christmas and what Santa had brought him and Lia.

It was when he saw his Daddy and Mommy's friend Sam standing by the elephant paddock that he sighed sadly. "I forgot; Sam's ready to go home." The little boy said.

"He is," Castiel told the child honestly.

"That's why Mommy and Daddy were sad when they said good night,"

The angel knelt down so that he was eye level with the small child. "Yes Sammy that is why your Mommy and Daddy were sad tonight. They will miss you very much, but they have missed Samuel too."

The little boy leaned in and accepted the hug the angel offered. He lifted the child into his arms as he stood up before turning around and greeting Samuel.

"Hey Little Man," Sam said as he looked at the child in Castiel's arms. Sam ached for his parents…for Dean and Jo. He ached for the child in front of him…the child inside him. Dean and Jo had shown him nothing but unconditional love and they have so much love to give.

Now they finally they had their own child, Lia. He was so happy for them both and he wanted to be the doting uncle to the little girl and spoil her the way Dean and Jo spoiled him.

Funny as both Dean and Jo were finding themselves slowing pulling away from the hunting life that they both had embraced a few short years ago…the life he had gone back into kicking and screaming was what he missed most these past five years.

Truly helping people…saving innocent lives was a noble calling…noble now that he wasn't blinded by anger at the injustice he had felt for as long as he could remember because of how his father raised him and his brother. Now he was ready to pick up that torch and be a true hunter.

"Cas?" He asked as the child yawned and rested his head on the angel's shoulder.

"He's ready Samuel." The other man said solemnly.

Sam nodded his head as he reached out and Castiel gently handed the child to him and sighed as he hugged the small body to his own and closed his eyes, letting their energy mingle together before Castiel raised his hands and placed the palm of his hand onto both of their foreheads.

Sam could feel the surge of power course through him and the last thing he was aware of was the feeling of falling.

SPNSPNSPN

Sam's eyes flew open as he sat up suddenly, coughing as he tried to catch his breath. He looked around and realized he was in Sammy's bedroom. He stood and blushed slight when he realized the clothes he wore to bed were still in the bed as they came apart at the seams as his body changed. An envelope caught his eye and he remembered Jo telling him it was for when he woke up. Smiling he whispered. "Thank you Mommy."

SPNSPNSPN

Dean looked up towards the door when he heard the heavy footsteps on the stairs. He reached over and grasped his wife's hand when he heard her sharp intake of breath and squeezed her husband's hand when they heard Sam walking towards the living room.

They both gazed up at the man who's currently stood in the doorway as he gave them a tentative smile and said. "Hello Dean…Jo."

SPNSPNSPN

Dean stood up as he stared at his brother Sam…his brother Sam not his little boy. He couldn't believe that less than an hour ago he was tucking Sammy in and telling him that Daddy loved him to the moon and back. Now his 29 years old brother was standing before him. God, he forgot his wife was actually younger than Sam these past 5 years.

It was Sam who finally closed the distance and pulled him into a bone shattering to Dean as if he were a life line and it was his soft voice saying 'De' the old familiar nickname he hadn't heard in over 20 years that broke him out of his daze and he hugged his brother back.

Dean didn't know how long they stayed that way but slowly they pulled apart and Dean reached up and cupped the back of his brother's neck and without any hesitation or embarrassment he leaned up and kissed Sam's forehead and said, "I've missed you so damn much."

Sam couldn't help the tears that slipped down his cheeks as he nodded his head and whispered. "I've missed you too De."

Sam's eyes drifted over his shoulder to Jo who was crying. She was so happy for her husband and for Sam, but she was grieving the loss of her little boy. Sam slowly step around Dean and made his way over to the woman who had loved him unconditionally for the past 5 years and knelt before her.

"Jo…Mom," he murmured before he enveloped the woman in a hug. He as he realized how strong his smell sensory was as he took in the scent that always made him feel safe, the smelled of J'adore and gun oil…it was a strange yet comforting smell.

It was the sound of a high pitch wail that caused them to pull apart and Sam looked over to the bouncy chair settled next to the couch and grinned as he reached out to touch the tiny infant and cooed, "Hi Lia, I'm your Uncle Sammy."

SPNSPNSPN

Jo took a shaky breath as she slowly stood up and said, "I should feed her and put her down."

Sam looked up at his Mo…at Jo and smiled. "Can I give her a bottle?"

Jo smiled as she nodded her head. "Of course, let me go fix a bottle for you to give her."

The men watched as Jo left the room and Sam smiled as he watched her go before looking at his brother and confessing, "I have this urge to tag after her."

"Sammy was always Mommy's best helper," Dean said as he sat down.

Sam finally looked around the room at the Christmas tree and grinned as he said, "man I really cleaned up. Was I really that good this year?"

"You were, you were even afraid that Santa wouldn't bring anything for Lia since she didn't write a letter."

"But Nana wrote one for her," Sam murmured. "You told me that while we were sitting together on this chair." He said as he touched the top of chair.

Dean smiled, "you remember?"

Sam nodded his head as he sat down, "yeah, more memories are coming 's back. It's weird, I have my memories from when we were both little with Dad, but our memories are mingle in now too."

Sam looked up when Jo walked back in holding the bottle out to him. "Thank you Mommy," he said and blushed when he realized what he had just said. "I'm sorry…" he said quickly.

Jo smiled, "it's okay. I guess everything is a little jumbled for you Sweetie." She said as she ran her hand over Sam's head.

Dean smiled at his wife 'babying' his brother and the way Sam blushed at the term of endearment, but he noticed that Sam leaned towards Jo when she sat next to him to supervise the feeding. "You always want to cuddle with Jo," he teased.

Sam smiled, "yeah I guess I did…do." He admitted before asking. "Bobby and the others, why did they leave?"

"They wanted to give us a little time together…they'll be here tomorrow." Dean explained.

Sam smiled as he looked down at his sister…no his niece. This was going to take some getting used to. "So do you want to fill me in on what I missed these past five years…I don't have any memories really of guys talking about the supernatural or seeing things to do with hunts."

"What do you remember?" Jo asked, curious to know what little Sammy had picked up on.

Sam frowned as he thought about what Jo was asking him and said. "Da…Dean was around a lot…you took me to the garage." He said before laughing. "You have your own business…both of you do. Jo you're a detective like Scooby Doo." He said realizing that was how they had explained to Sammy what Mommy's job was. Damn he kept thinking like a five year old.

Jo shook her head and laughed, "I like to think I'm more professional than Scooby Doo but yeah I'm a private investigator."

"You haven't hunted though since you got pregnant with Lia," he said as he turned his attention back to the tiny bundle in his arms.

"No, I didn't want to take the chance of losing her," Jo smile at him as Lia finished her bottle and he lifted the infant to his shoulder, and he patted her back earning two modest burps.

"Let me take her and put her down so that we can talk without worrying about waking her up." Jo said as she stood up.

Sam watched as Dean stood up so that he could kiss his daughter on her forehead and whispered. "Night Sweetpea."

Sam watched as Dean headed into the kitchen before coming back in carrying two beers and said thoughtfully, "you really haven't hunted much either." Popping both open Dean handed one to younger Winchester and smiled as he took a sip. "I remember you sneaking me a sip of your beer if Momm…Jo wasn't watching."

"Oh I knew he let you have a sip," Jo said as she came back into the room. "I just wanted you two to have your little 'secrets'."

"Sam, trust me…Jo is just like her mother and has a sixth sense about everything that happens under this roof," Dean told his brother as he winked at his wife.

Sam smiled at the teasing but he still had questions about the past five years. He looked at Dean and said, "I don't remember you leaving for any real length of time…how have you been hunting?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders and smiled at his brother. "I pulled back. I decided I had a more important job to do at home." He said.

"You put your lives on hold because of me," Sam hated the overwhelming emotions coursing through him and was embarrassed that he wanted nothing more than to crawl into either Dean or Jo lap for a cuddle and to have them make everything better with a simple hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"No Sam, you're wrong." Jo said quickly as she sat back down next to him and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Our lives began when you came to us."

The younger Winchester turned and looked at Jo ."But you wanted to hunt, and you barely hunt anymore because of me…because I was selfish and needed a second childhood. Dean…he always knew hunting was what he wanted to do...to help people." He argued as he began to cry again.

Jo sighed, she had done a good deal of soul searching back after they defeated Azazel and she hoped he would understand. "I wanted to hunt to be close to my Dad…to honor him but I was living in the past. Sam I never stopped hunting. I just realized that I didn't want to live out of a duffel bag 365 days out of the year and choose my cases based on how they fit in with our lives. Don't you see caring for you helped me see my that I could have a future...of course it would be with your jerk brother, but I guess you can't help who you fall in love with." She said giving her husband a cheeky grin.

Dean shook his head at his wife. "Haha, very funny," he said before turning his attention to Sam. "She may be a brat but everything she said is true. You weren't the only one who needed to heal. You actually said that to me the night that Castiel helped us defeat Azazel…when he brought us together in your mind to talk… that maybe you weren't the only one healing…that Jo and I were healing too and you were right."

Dean got up and joined them on the couch when he saw that his brother still wasn't convinced and he reached out and gently took his brother's hand in his own. "Don't you see that caring for you helped me break down those damn walls I hid behind most of my life and by breaking those walls I was able to let myself fall in love with Jo. That I was able to figure out a balance to having a family and hunting that was all because of you. I may not be out there as often, but I still help other hunters and what I do does help save innocent lives. Do I miss the rush of a hunt…I won't lie, I do but this…being married to the woman I love…raising my children…I wouldn't trade it for the world. I made the right choice…trust me on that Sam."

The younger Winchester watched the way his brother and Jo smiled at each other and he could see something in both their eyes that he didn't remember from before that faithful hunt five years ago. Contentment, they were content.

Sam sighed as Jo gently rubbed his back and he felt his brother strong arm wrapped around his shoulder. He couldn't stop himself from resting his head on Dean's shoulder.

Sure in a few days those urges to snuggle with Dean and Jo would begin to fade as he transition back to his rightful age but right then and there he just wanted to stay wrapped up in Dean and Jo's embrace.

TBC


	13. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a year since the curse has broken and things have definitely change for our little family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone again for the feedback and Kudos. I appreciate the support!!! Okay so technically this story is done but I will most likely be doing one offs of the Dean, Jo and Sammy side stories. 
> 
> Thank you again!!
> 
> Val

Epilogue

Dean looked up as the back door opened and saw his brother coming in carrying his daughter. “You two have fun?”

“Yup, she loved the slide.” Sammy said as he took off Lia’s coat, hat and mittens.

“Dada…Dada…” Lia called happily as Sam finally put her down and the little girl ran as fast as her little legs would carry her to Dean.

“Hey Baby,” Dean said as he scooped the child up and kissed her cheek.

“Any word from Jo?” Sam asked.

“Yeah she called after you left. She and Jody should be here this afternoon…plenty of time for her to make cookies with Lia to leave out for Santa, huh Sweetpea.”

Dean still couldn’t believe that it had been almost a year since Sam had come back to them and what a year it has been.

Dean had decided that he wanted to begin hunting with his brother again after he realized that part of the reason he had taken the step back from hunting was that it was too painful to do it without Sam. So Dean and Jo had sat down to work out how they were going to handle Dean getting back into the game.

Dean and Jo had decided that they would take turns going on hunts as they always wanted one of them to be home with Lia. They had also decided that they had to take at least one week between hunts off so that they could have serious family time not to mention to take care of their legit businesses.

Jo had waited until Lia was three months old before she went out on her first hunt with sheriff Donna Hanscum. A fellow sheriff and hunter that Jody introduced them to.

Who knew the cheerful sheriff would be such a fearsome hunter. When Jody had no choice but to tell Donna the truth the younger sheriff had stepped up and not only became a loyal friend but one Hell of a hunter. The three women tended to take turns hunting together and had chalked up quite a reputation among other hunters.

Figuring out how Dean starting to take a heavier hunting load wasn’t the only thing the young family had to figure out when Dean and Jo convinced Sam to stay and live with them. The brothers, Rufus and Bobby spent three weekends finishing the basement and made a semi private apartment for the younger Winchester.

The arrangement may have seemed odd to some, but it worked for them. Sam had his own space but was still close to his family. Of course the Friday after Thanksgiving Jo and Sam might have felt it was a bit too close when Jo had come back from shopping and had wanted to show Sam what she had picked up for Dean to get his opinion and walked into Sam’s bedroom without knocking and found him naked coming out of the bathroom

The former mother and son couldn’t look each other in the eye much to Dean’s chagrin for several days. The elder Winchester had to remind his wife that Sam was a man now and no longer her baby boy and she couldn’t just walk into his room without knocking.

As difficult as it was for Jo to remember this Dean had noticed his brother still turned to his wife when he needed comfort much like when he was a child. It was a balancing act and they all still fell into familiar habits. It wasn’t like there was a manual on how to cope with a formerly de-aged cursed hunter.

Dean was pulled out his thoughts literally when his daughter grabbed his ear and began tugging on it. “Okay Sweetpea…I get it you want Daddy’s attention.” Dean said with a laugh as Sam poured himself a mug of coffee and held the pot up towards his brother. “Yeah, thanks,” he said as he sat down at the table with his daughter in his lap.

Dean watched as Sammy sat down and saw the look on his brother’s face and knew he was having what Dean and Jo called his ‘Sammy’ urges. Urges to do activities that he loved to do when he was a child. Castiel had reassured them that it was a lingering side effect but as time went by those urges would fade.

He hadn’t had one in several months and they thought they were gone completely but then Dean and Jo had noticed last week that Sam seemed to be sitting closer to Jo whenever they were on the sofa in the living room. They knew that was adult Sam’s version of cuddling with Jo and they thought it might be because it was the holidays and it was coming up on the anniversary that the curse was broken.

“You okay Bud?” Dean asked gently.

“De…” he said shyly.

“It’s alright Sam…you know we understand. Castiel said you can’t help it.” He reassured him.

“I hate it…it’s embarrassing.” He said as he wiped his eyes.

“Hey nothing to be embarrassed about. Look you went from five to twenty-nine over-night of course you’re going to slide backwards occasionally.”

“It’s been a year though and do you know what I want to do more than anything right now…I want to make cookies with my Mommy. I’m actually jealous of Lia. That’s sick.”

Dean sighed, “It’s not sick…Sam look at me…it’s not sick.” He said firmly before adding. “And who said you can’t make cookies with Jo? You know she would love that. We know how hard this is for you but it’s hard for us too. We still miss him.”

“Do you wish I didn’t break the curse?” Sam asked suddenly.

“No,” Dean said quickly. “Never.”

“But you miss him?” Sam argued.

“And I missed you for five years.” Dean told him.

Sam nodded his head as he looked at his brother and smiled. “You know you’re a pretty good big brother when you’re not being a jerk.”

Dean grinned at the younger Winchester. “I’m an awesome big brother bitch.” He said as stood up to take Lia upstairs to change her.

Sam snorted in amusement as he watched his brother head out of the kitchen and added softly to his retreating back, “and an even more awesome Dad.”

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I know I have three stories going but this one just wouldn't go away. It's actually almost completed. It's going to be fairly short 11 or 12 chapters top and I'm already almost done with Chapter 9.


End file.
